Estate, Eternity, Emerald & Evergreen Matters
by TheBoglies
Summary: A new story by Carrie-Anne.
1. Parts 1 thru 3

**Estate, Eternity, Emerald and Evergreen Matters **

**By: Carrie-Anne**

**Chapter One…Life is good ****J**

_Hey baby you really  
Got my tail in a spin  
Hey baby I don't even  
Know where to begin  
But baby I got one thing  
I want you to know  
wherever you go tell me  
'Cause I'm gonna go__ ly__ ti_

Susan awoke to the sound of a radio going on as she hit the clock and tried to turn it off as it fell off the bedside table and landed on the floor with a thud. The loud music from the clock continued to boom, as she groaned and then heard, "Got it."

_We found love  
so don't hide it  
Life is a rollercoaster  
Just gotta ride it  
I need you  
so stop hiding  
Our love is a mystery  
Girl, let's get beside it_

Paul rolled over her, gave her a huge smile, "Morning," as his lips brushed hers before turning his attention to the clock radio with upbeat music coming from it.

_Hey baby, you really  
Got me flying tonight  
Hey sugar, you almost  
Got us punched in a fight  
(That's all right)  
And baby you know one  
Thing I gotta know  
Wherever you go, tell me  
'Cause I'm gonna show###_

Paul shut it off while hanging himself off of the bed and then proceeded back to 'his' side via way of hers. "Morning," Susan whispered as Paul had rolled himself back on top of her and they brushed lips again. They were cozy, cuddled and happy…undisturbed until…

"Mum! Dad! Daaa? Yer still here! Radical dude!" Nigel had run into Susan's bedroom with a beam from ear to ear as his parents with the covers up to their necks, as Paul replied, "Go on get dressed."

"Aye," Nigel hollered as he ran out of the room.

Susan laughed, spoke low, and gave Paul an odd-duck look, "Radical dude?!"

"Comic books?" Paul lifted a brow at his own question as Susan laughed again. "He's in a chipper mood say the least."

Susan gave another chuckle, "You would be if you woke up to both parents stark naked and in bed together? Mind you, it's the sock puppet show…it had a pretty interesting affect on me…"

"True…but I thought it was only me who has a striking affect on you?" Paul's lips found Susan's again as they heard, "Mum! Mum!"

"All right, Nye, I'll be up," Susan untangled herself from Paul's embrace and snatched her bathrobe that was hanging off of the chair and left Paul staring after her. Susan smiled as she wandered into the lounge.

"I can fry ya an omelet," Susan replied while pulling her hair back into a ponytail as Nigel nodded, "Oh yes, please! I'll go get the paper like we always do every Sunday! Dad will have a job too won't he? Since he's here?"

Paul voyaged out of the bedroom fully dressed, and spoke up, "Yes, I got a job. I'm Mum's second helper. You're the first."

"Exactly how much of this are you going to help me with? Since when do you cook anything editable?" Susan gave Paul a challenging look as he came up behind her, wrapped an arm around her waist and snuggled his face into her shoulder, before giving her neck a kiss. He then snagged the spatula out of her hand, so he could 'take over' breakfast duty.

"Oh, lots. I cook editable things, pasta and toast..."

"Okay, what have you done with him?" Susan marveled and batted her eyelashes, showing off her cerulean eyes and then laughing out loud.

"Who?" Paul gave Susan a bright beam, while she taunts him.

"You're an imposter Pauly, aren't ya? The old Pauly didn't even know how to turn on a range!" Susan gave Paul a rueful look, which made him swat at her with the spatula to get her out of the way of the range as she dodged the swat and smiled charmingly.

"Eggs, Suz. I cook eggs."

"You fry eggs? Amazing, Pauly, I'm intrigued," Susan joked again as Paul tried very hard to deal with her messing with his senses in tantalizing and enchanting way. And if she continued to tease him, he'd burn the breakfast and just dive straight for her, in hopes to devour her, as their morning meal. He'd show her more of his deep affection: regardless if Nigel was in the room to witness it all.

"Stick around, Suzy-Q, and I reckon I'll show you how it's done! You set the table up. Here we go, go on," Paul responded as Susan let Paul take over the breakfast and pulled out place settings and plates…

Nigel jumped up and down shouting out, "Yes!" As he fled the flat and grabbed the newspaper down at the front door, Nigel then skipped up the steps and back inside of the home.

Minnie stood up in the crib waiting for someone to come and get her. She was quiet at first and then decided to cry. Jayne and Wayne woke up too as they climbed into the crib trying to keep Minnie company, but nothing worked---she was hungry and wanted food now. Lexie and Archie wandered into the room and glanced at the children.

"Oh geez, look at the lot of 'em!" Lexie laughed as Archie replied, "Who's first?"

"I'll grab this one and you snag 'em two!" Lexie smiled as she picked up Minnie, who kept crying even when she was held by Lexie and Archie grabbed hold of the twins, "On the count of three…we go together…"

"One, Two, Three!" Archie lifted up the children and then yelped out in pain as his back gave out on him.

"Arch? You all right?" Lexie glanced at him in concern as he looks up at her, unable to straighten out his back. The twins giggled on and on, "Dadadadadada!"

"I'm a wee bit crooked at the moment, Lex. Help me." Archie commented, looking to his wife for comfort. Lizzie stood in the door way, "Tsk, tsk…broke yer back and now have to lay flat, Arch?"

Archie shot his sister a rueful look, "Haven't you moved out yet?"

"Nah, you're stuck with me, dear brother."

"Oh goody gumdrops," Archie mumbled again as he rubbed his aching back...Lizzie stuck out her tongue at him and replied, "Hand 'em over. Mother will be up shortly anyway…" Lizzie snatched Minnie out of Lexie's hands.

"All right, I'll deal with the 'sickly', 'injured', and 'whiny' husband of mine…" Lexie joked, as Archie shot her a look too and grumbled out in pain, "I'm not whiny."

"You will be, come along now." Lexie helped tote Archie back to the bedroom as he attempted to lie down still in significant pain.

"Ow, ow, ow…"

"See whinin' all ready, look at ya." Lexie gave him an empathetic look and smiled brightly as she proceeded to tuck Archie in bed under the white comforter with wooden buttons.

"I told you I was gettin' ancient…you know dinosaur…" Archie made a joke while peering up at Lexie once again.

"There now, I'll be back to check on you after I help tag team the twins." Lexie chuckled after she finished tucking him in and then placed a kiss on his brow before leaving the room. Lexie returned within minutes with a sterling silver bell which had a wooden handle and gave it to her husband and winked, "Ring me Mr. Laird."

Archie got this huge captivating beam on his face, "All right," as he waited for Lexie to leave the room and then minutes later rang the bell…

Susan, Nigel and Paul finished breakfast of eggs and ham as Susan's hands wandered over the front page of the newspaper. She took a sip of her morning coffee as Nigel watched her open it up…

"Mum, who's that on the front page?" He asked quietly, as his eyes wandered from the comic section of the paper to front section that Susan had. Paul stood in the kitchen washing the breakfast dishes with a huge smile planted on his face and a dish towel over his shoulder. He had offered to wash up since there were only three plates and one fry pan to clean, "Yeah, Mum, who's on that front page?" Paul joked from the kitchen.

"Hmmm," Susan replied as Nigel asked again, "Who's on the front page?"

Susan with her reading glasses on the end of her nose moved her hand up to her face and took them off so she could fold the paper back to the front page and study the photo closely. As her eyes scanned over the photo, she added, "No one special, Nye. Why don't you go off an' get dressed?"

Nigel gave a quick nod of his head and ran off into his bedroom as Paul finished the dishes and neared the kitchen table and the seat that Susan occupied and in a quick motion she closed up the newspaper before Paul could see the photo on the front page. Paul snagged the paper out of her hands and set it to aside, as he leaned in to give her a smooch, after he broke free and then murmured, "I best be going, Suz…come to the house later on with Nigel."

"All right, I have some work to do." Susan smiled, while peering at Paul closely.

"Work? Cannit wait?" Paul begged, as Susan gave him a haughty look, "No, it can't wait. I have a deadline for a story next week. It's a follow up to something I had been working on a month ago."

"Ground breaking story? News at 18 hundred?" Paul punned again, "You reporters and yer work…"

"Oh?"

"Maybe I should stick around longer and keep you from your work…" as Paul teased her some more and put emphasis on 'your work' before tuning his lips into hers again.

"You'll do no such thing…" Susan broke free from the mind boggling kiss and stood herself up from the table to walk Paul towards the door. She gathered his blue fleece coat and handed it over to him. "Bye now. Off you go…"

"I'm going. Bye Nigel!" Paul hollered out before Susan shut the door.

Lexie stood in the kitchen bewildered and frazzled at Minnie, who cried on and on for 'Dada' and refused to eat and drink her morning bottle. Lizzie gave them both a look as she took a slight break from twins' duties in the sitting room to refill sippy cups with milk, "What's wrong, wee peanut?"

"She won't take it, that's what!" Lexie grumbled, "Minnie, you have to be starving, eat Sweet pea…"

Minnie shook her head 'no' at the bottle and put her hands in front of her face, as Lexie kept offering her the bottle. Minnie swatted her 'bubba' out of Lexie's hands and crying, "Daddada," and as the bottle crashed to the floor, tears continued to flow down her cheeks. Lexie then heard calls for her and rings from the bell she had given her husband, as Archie was making way down to the kitchen from the back stairway. "What are ye doin' up?" Lexie gave Archie a sideways glance after picking up the bottle from off of the floor.

"I kept ringing," Archie rang the bell once again and Lizzie scoffed, "You're acting like father."

Archie rolled his eyes at his sister, trying to ignore Lizzie's childish taunt, and spoke to Lexie, "What's her problem?"

"She's not eating, keeps wanting 'Dada'…I'm already not feelin' at all well meself…" Lexie rambled and Archie sat himself down on the stool and held out his arms to Minnie as away to relieve Lexie. Minnie refused, shook her head, and continued to cry.

"Maybe she caught ill, like you've been feeling of late." Archie sounded out to Lexie, as Minnie now glared at each 'grown up' in the room. She rubbed her eyes and Archie sized up her problem…her possible issue, "She's tired, the wee one is tired."

"Fer de past hour, Arch?" Lexie replied at wits end with the infant, soon toddler.

"Well, let's just take her into the sitting room…maybe she'll calm down then…" Archie suggested, trying to 'troubleshoot' Minnie like she was a business proposition.

Lexie shrugged, "I dun suppose ye'd be the one taking over wit her? I've a terrible headache…"

Minnie finally went to Archie, still crying, still fussy, and still wanting 'Dada.' Archie and Minnie left the room…

Paul strolled into the house, as he looked around at first. He ducked his head into the sitting room where Lizzie sat on the floor playing with blocks and the twins. Before he ventured down the hallway, Archie met him at the kitchen door…

Minnie with no tears and then giddily said, "Dada!"

Archie and Paul exchanged strange glances as the little one held out her hands to Paul.

_### Life is a Rollercoaster- Ronan Keating_

**Chapter Two…Old way of life or the new way?**

Paul had left Susan's just moments before a knock came to her door. Susan and her thoughts on cloud nine, glided across the floor, assuming it was probably Paul trying to 'keep her from working' as her hand when to the door handle she replied, "This is your game plan to pester me from working Pa---Henry?"

Susan's mouth dropped as she stared at her colleague from London, who was carrying a bottle of champagne under his right arm and a huge beam on his face. He leaned in a planted a gigantic kiss on her lips. Susan's eyes widened and she drew herself away…

"Surprise Pookie!" Henry exclaimed, as Susan gave him a blank look and then he pushed himself past her, "Happy to see me!"

"Um, Henry, what are you doing here?" Susan stared at him.

"You were in such a rush to leave last week that—?"

"I'm sorry. I had to tend to Nigel."

"Yes, okay, anyway, I didn't get to tell you the news…" Henry handed her the bottle of champagne and rubbed her shoulders with his free hands, and talking on and on as Susan's face was still showing signs of 'being weirded out by his arrival.' _Signs she couldn't hide, even if she tried too… "_You're being given an award for your piece just weeks ago!"

"What?" Susan's mouth dropped further, almost hitting the floor. She hadn't won an award or honorable mention for her writing before today…well once, but it was an amateur writing contest that her and her cousin Carol had put on when they were schoolgirls.

"Very prestigious award, lovely." Henry's features glowed as he announced, "2005 winner of Bedford Pace Award for Best Article in Print!"

"You're kidding me?"

"No, I'm not Sweetheart!" Henry with another huge smile pulled out a black box from his pocket as he turned to face her again after studying the 'homeliness of her flat.'

Susan stood there with her mouth still agape, funny look on her face as Henry turned around again and she tried to 'act natural.' "What's that?" Susan knew full well what was in the box, as he handed it to her but didn't open it. '_Oh crumbly crumb-bum. You dumped Lara 'the fake boobs are us flashy bimbo super model' or did she dump you? And decided to give us a go, now? Too late, Henry…'_

"And what do you think it might be?" Henry winked at her as he went on to voice his 'undying' love for her, "Susan, I've been missing you terribly since you left the office, what are you doing way up here anyway? _Living in such a dung heap?_ Away from news, away from people, away from traffic…"

_'Away from you,'_ Susan's mind crooned out in slight panic and disgust at him trying to put down how her 'home' looked, _'Let him down gently…oh crumb!'_

"It's just absolute extreme culture shock for me to fathom you being here…Your talent is outstanding and you wasted it on moving---?"

"Don't finish that sentence, Henry, especially if you're trying to tell me…"

"Susan, I just ponder more about you being away from me, and I get terribly depressed. I'm in shatters, my heart that is, and that I'll grow old and alone without you."

"What about---?"

"Lara? Dumped me, went back to New York, decided to remain friends, yes, oh well, she's not you and that's the short of it."

"And---?" Susan tapped her foot, getting edgy, and knowing she wanted to just push him out the door, but she didn't…her heart told her not too as her eyes set on the closed ring box and then Henry.

"This is where the editor, the gutsy hunky stud muffin editor in chief asks his hot chick writer for a hand in---?"

"Henry?" A voice spoke up from the corner of the room putting Henry's proposal moment on serious hold as Susan shoved the box in her pocket trying to hide it from Nigel.

"Hello Nigel. How are you?" Henry's translucent smile popped back up on his face…

"Dandy… Mummy, when are we going to go?" Nigel asked, talking about going to Glenbogle to visit his father…he stared at Henry as his stomach started to sour. Henry meant London, and London meant being far away from Glenbogle, _which meant far away from his father._

"We're going now." Susan saw Nigel's thoughts of leaving for Glenbogle early as an escape from Henry.

"Susan, where are you going?" Henry asked as Susan handed him back the bottle of champagne and put on her coat while Nigel got on his coat, hat, mittens, scarf and boots…

"To see my father," Nigel spoke proudly as Henry gave him and then Susan an 'oh' face.

Susan and Nigel walked Henry out of the flat and down the three flights of stairs to the front of the building. Susan replied, "Good bye Henry."

Henry stood there with a peculiar look on his face and waved at Susan and Nigel as if they were listening to him, "I'll be right here when you get back darling! Wait, you still have my ring!" Feeling more awkward and out of place, as a little girl on a bike rode by him giggling, Henry gave her a 'shut-up you' look, tossed the champagne into the front seat of his car and hopped in.

Susan and Nigel climbed into her car as Nigel spoke up fast, "Mum, what's he doing here?"

"Nye, dun worry about it," Susan was worried herself as they traveled onto Glenbogle as her mind wandered to the ring still in her pocket.

It didn't seem to take Susan and Nigel any time to get to Glenbogle as her car putted down the long drive, over the bridge and further down the old beaten path until they stopped at the house. As Susan and Nigel made way towards the front door, Golly greeted them both. Nigel ran right up to him giving him a huge hug, "Hello!"

"_Laddy_, you've grown since I've seen you last." Golly teased while releasing Nigel from the embrace. It had been 24 hours since Golly had last seen Nigel and he was semi-conscious after his fall into the loch.

"Nuh-uh!" Nigel shook his head 'no' as Golly replied, "Morning Susan."

"Hi Golly," Susan smiled, as the door to the house opened and Paul and Archie came walking out…

"You're here…" Paul began his sentence only for Susan to finish it.

"Early. I know…" She left out the part that she was running away from her office ex-boyfriend, boyfriend or whatever he is to her and that's why they were there so early…

"No, I'm glad you're here." Paul corrected himself, hoping his greeting before didn't sound so negative. Before he could wander up to Susan to really say 'hello' another vehicle bounded down the drive and Susan's face revealed her true woes.

"Who's that?" Archie asked soundly, wondering if it was someone lost…

"Oh Susan, come on now, I drove hours upon hours and kilometers for kilometers, we need a chat-oh why hello there!" Henry boasted with the champagne bottle still in his hands after getting out of his car and then Susan turned to face him. Paul stood there puzzled.

"Henry." Susan spoke quietly, praying he wasn't going to make a fool of himself in front of everyone and not speak of the 'proposal' that he tried to offer her at her flat.

"Well, are these folks going to celebrate with us or not? If so, they should," Henry spoke ever so full of himself, which made Archie cock his brow at Susan and then Henry, before questioning, "Excuse me, perhaps you could fill us in on what we're celebrating in the wee early hours of the day?"

"I assumed Susan told you about her feat, just now." Henry announced, cocking his own brow at Archie.

"No, Susan didn't tell us about her feat." Paul spoke up curiously and eyed Susan intently.

Susan replied modestly, "It's nothing."

"Oh hush up, Susan, it's not nothing to be silent about, it's an award!" Henry chanted aloud, as Susan wanted to crawl away, under a stone key, one of the many which lined the front part of the house…

"An award?" Paul grinned, as he was suddenly very proud to be 'with' her.

"Ah, yea, um…" Susan found herself at loss of words…

"See modest approach, woman, we're going to have to change that. Not just any award," Henry shook his head and mocked Paul, while stating, "2005 Bedford Pace Award for Best Article in Print goes to—drum roll please—Susan Thatcher-Higgins—yea-as the crowd is supposed to go…wild?" Henry's voice went from happy, excited to muffled speech and then awkward silence when he noted that no one laughed at his commentary about Susan's award. He then walked right up to Susan, much closer to her than she or even Paul wanted.

"Well done, Susan," Archie answered promptly.

"What was the article on?" Paul asked Susan peculiarly as Henry spoke up in her place, '_Highland---!"_

_"Economy," Susan replied speedily, cutting off Henry before he could say more._

_"Oh yes." Henry gave a triumphant nod of his head, accepting her answer._

Paul and Archie gave Susan a huge 'congratulatory' smile. Golly looked on, sensing trouble brewing in the air as he picked up Susan's awkward body language.

"An award?" Lexie gave Susan a dazed look of confusion as she held Maeve in her arms and then smiled, "Well, then congrats is in order, aye?" Susan and Nigel had entered the house behind Paul, Archie and Golly as Henry nipped at Susan's heels. Archie had announced to Lexie to get the champagne glasses for a celebration. Lexie complied as people gathered around the dinning table for the toast. Molly and Lizzie stood there each holding one of the twins.

"Yes, she wrote a brilliant article, one of the best!" Henry said matter of factly. Susan couldn't bring herself to speak clearly about it, until moments later, "It was just an article about Highland _economy_, nothing to brag on about, Henry."

"Nothing to brag on about, babe? Nothing to brag, babe? I'm elated to go on and on about it for you, you posh young thing! You have made the Globe look so dauntingly smashing!" Henry perked up, as Susan just wanted to melt to the floor or better yet hid under the dinning table.

_'Posh young thing? Babe?'_ Paul's poor mind framed the word over and over again, _'Did he just call Susan, babe not once, but twice?"_

Henry continued as Paul stared at Susan, "Besides since we're in the company of friends, Susan, we can announce our…"

Susan could tell Paul wasn't quite sure of what to make of Henry and his unannounced arrival, as he assumed Henry was her boss and wanted to share the news. _The next bit of news, however, _Susan didn't want anyone to hear. She decided to change the subject, cutting off Henry once again, and drinking her whole glass of champagne in one swoop, stating, "Excuse me, should I refill anyone's glasses? Oh dear, I'm out."

Susan then found herself dashing out of the room. Henry stood there feeling everyone's odd stares and perplexed looks, as Paul was about to speak up, Lexie intervened, "I'll be right back."

Lexie found Susan in the kitchen as she was pouring herself more champagne and responded sensibly, "Save some for me?"

"Oh, sorry," Susan bowed her head in Lexie's direction and finished pouring her a glass too.

"Susan, what's a matter?"

"Henry, Henry wanted to ask me to marry him at my flat," Susan blew out a breath, drinking the champagne, and Lexie tuned in more, "Nigel wanted to get over here to see Paul so I took it…"

"As an escape route?" Lexie quipped with a chuckle, taking a sip of her bubbly, "Oh I've been there…"

"Really?"

"Yes, really. I've dodged quite a few proposals, even Archie's before we finally hitched on." Lexie smiled, "Henry is quite a looker, I might add."

Susan gave a laugh, gulping more of the sparkly fluid, "Yes, well, if someone had told me office romances were meant to last, I probably wouldn't have gotten so closely involved with him."

"Office romance, well then, lots to goss about, aye?" Lexie gave her a wink, "Was it the kind of torrid love affair where you have dirty weekends?"

Susan laughed again, "Unfortunately so, up until Henry decided to find himself a new 'work-mistress'."

"Oh no,"

"Oh yes, and late nights in the office, emails on a computer, and bravely telling him that we couldn't be seen together. I believe I attracted him with a see through top and black bra, oh and a short leopard print skirt. I mean short, like thigh short, not below the knee. The mistress was from the New York office and well, Henry had decided to become engaged to her. Lara, he loves or loved Lara anyway… I told him off and explained that I was quitting and moving myself on."

Lexie laughed too, "Well, I think yer safe up here from attracting attention to yourself that way, especially with Paul as a concern, as for the moving along part, looks like he hasn't then."

"Paul," Susan's voice grew distant and dismal before adding, "I don't want to upset him."

"Susan, he came home whistlin' to himself and kept goin' on and on 'bout bein' wit Nigel and spending gobs an' gobs of time with you. It's the happiest I've ever seen 'im to date."

"He won't be so happy with me, Lexie if..."

"He hears Henry propose," answered Lexie, finishing off Susan's sentence, trying to anticipate what she was trying to say. Lexie now put two and two together and figured out why Susan panicked and ended up in the kitchen. Well, partially why as Susan thought more about her article and wanted to come clean on what exactly it was about. Then Susan's mind shifted to the black ring box still in her pocket, and her mess with her now ex-boss Henry Seaver.

Lexie thought for a moment about something cheer Susan up, but before she could reply, Paul walked in worried, hoping to ease his mind by finally checking in on Susan, "Ladies."

"Paul."

"You all right?" Paul asked quietly after peering from Lexie to Susan.

"I'm good," said Susan as she gave a nod of her head, finishing off another glass of champagne, indicating she wasn't good, but becoming full of despair at the dreaded situation she had put herself in!

**Chapter Three…Diamonds are a girls' best friend or worst enemy?**

Golly left the 'party' after Susan and Lexie, followed by Paul voyaged into the kitchen. He knew something wasn't quite right and an article on _Highland economy_ stuck out in his mind like a sore thumb _because he would have read it_. He found way into the workshop and started to go through the most recent newspapers, in a 'recycling' pile. Golly normally used the papers to wrap up brown loch trout or to burn in his fireplace at his cabin or the woodstove in the workshop while he fixed things. Golly remembered reading something by Susan, late one night while sitting in his dark leather easy chair. His hands went over the newspapers one by one, '_last weeks' news, no…week before last, maybe…' Golly thought about each paper and looked for The London Globe than The Scotsman. Finally his hands traced over the paper, not the one with her article, but the one that was an editorial as his eyes scanned the question title… _

**_How wrong is it for someone from the outside world to voice an opinion about our way of life?_******

"Oh yea, now 'ye remember ya, lass…" Golly spoke up and snatched the paper and hurried out of the workshop, ready to find Archie and Paul and explain to them both his finding.

Archie stood in the dinning room, as he was taking a sip of his own glass of champagne, his eyes instantly connected to Golly, who was standing in the doorway, nodding his head like he had something important to rattle on about with him. "Excuse me," Archie left the room, "What is it, Golly?"

"Ye betta 've a look," Golly handed over the newspaper to Archie, at first, Archie gave him an outlandish sideways glance, before accepting the paper…

"What's this?"

"It's 'bout that article Susan wrote, _an editorial type, _which expresses an opinion of Compton MacFarlane, Laird from Glencampbell," Golly bowed his head again, encouraging Archie to read it over carefully. Archie got to the title, and then the first two sentences before his annoyance at the situation crept in…

"Lad, don't get on her."

"Why not? Golly, this means she won an award for degrading someone's morals, someone's way of life, _my way of life!_" Archie struggled to be level headed, but he couldn't. Paul presented himself at the door, unsure of Archie's complaints, as he could hear them coming from the dinning room.

"What's that there?" Paul pondered, as Archie thrust the paper onto him.

"Read it. Go on," Archie encouraged with his hand gesture towards the paper in more frustration. Paul eyed him once over and then the paper.

"I don't believe it."

"Believe it, and I'd bet five pounds on it too as she won an award for it," Archie grumbled with a roll of his eyes, as his anger simmered.

"Oh come on, this has got to be a mistake. Susan wouldn't write something like this," Paul nodded his head in disbelief.

"Well, Paul, she did…now what do we do about? I tell you what we do, confront her head on and make her explain it all." Archie proclaimed topsy-turvy, as Lexie poked her head out of the dinning room while holding Jayne and walked up to the conversing men.

"Problem gents?"

"Lex, major problem, where's Susan?" Archie cast his eyes on Lexie and grabbed the paper from Paul, before wandering back into the dinning room.

"She's in here, why?" Lexie's brows arched at the fact that her husband didn't answer her question of, 'Why?'

"Need a word, with you, Susan," Archie normally didn't 'get angry' unless there was a real reason for it. He tried to force himself to remain calm, but it wasn't working…

"Okay," Susan felt relief to get away from Henry, as he was chatting on and on with Molly about London and living there, considering they had both lived in the same section of town at one point, over thirty years ago. Susan trailed behind Archie into the kitchen and Paul lagged behind them both.

"Care to explain your ideologies on _Highland economy?_" Archie placed the paper down on the countertop.

"What?" Susan glanced to Paul with confusion, before looking at the paper, the editorial and then noting her article being quoted and her name being slashed through the mud, "Oh bger," as Susan gasped knowing the trick was let out of the bag.

"Susan, you really wrote that?" Paul asked, feeling himself getting frazzled too.

"Okay, let me explain,"

"I was hoping you would do that," Archie challenged her and then let her have it, "Why did you write it?"

"I didn't know you when I did. It was an assigned piece, how was I supposed to know it would cause such a ruckus in the highlands of all places?" Susan shot Archie a look and then Paul.

"People don't take kindly to having the highlands made fun of around here from a city paper or small closed minded reporters... Is that why you moved here to sling innocent people, who you don't know through pigs slop?" Archie whined, and then pointed at the article, while waving his hands towards the paper again.

"I moved here to get out of the city and build a life for Nigel. My moving had nothing to do with this dreadful article!"

"You're right it's disastrous!" Archie muttered and cursed, but Susan stood her ground.

"You're judging me on an article I wrote before I even met any one of you, except Paul?" Susan snapped, "Look, I wrote it. I didn't say I stood by it!"

Archie grew silent, pondering his next course of action and Paul spoke right up, "Say you don't stand by it, then why is Henry here?"

Susan grew silent too and then replied unevenly, "I wrote an article on about Highland jobs, and how cutting down trees, and supporting forestry was a big deal. Land owners should be giving up lands to help the people, especially tenants, live at bit more freely, and not having to penny pinch every bloody month with sky high rents! The taxation is so steep that helping someone out should be more important than money hungry fools, _especially Lairds_. I never meant to cause any kind of 'foul play' here. It's true, there are high taxes and they are getting higher, and people who rent are paying more money each month to live. _It's disgusting, but true._"

"You believed cutting down a forest is a novelist thing?" Paul glared at her, wondering if she had changed, or if he was dealing with an entirely new Susan, one he wasn't sure he liked. The old Susan didn't like people destroying forests, nature, and ruining animal habitat.

"No! I don't believe it's a grand choice! I happen to like nature conservation! However the economy is sluggish right now and jobs help keep it going. People who cut down trees, fish, hunts, and makes a living that way, has a right to do it for the economy." Susan bellowed out, as Archie didn't say word and neither did Paul, but he wanted an answer to his question about Henry, which Susan ignored. Instead, Paul couldn't address her again because Nigel appeared at the door. He could tell his parents weren't happy nor his Uncle Archie, "Nye, what is it?"

"Mum, why is Henry here?" Nigel peeped with a hint of distress.

"Nye, he's just here," Susan lied, and Paul picked up on it right away, the old Susan would avoid eye contact, when saying something false and then a wrinkle her forehead.

"He's not here to take us back to London, is he?" Nigel asked concerned, Susan turned her attention to her son.

"No Nye, he's not taking you or me anywhere," Susan reassured, but Nigel and Paul weren't convinced as she glared at Paul, "What?"

"You're lying to him," Paul added flat as a pancake.

"I'm not."

"Yea, you are."

"No, I'm not."

"Yea, you are, Susan. You get this look about you when you're hiding something, out with it."

"You get your own look about you when you're keeping something from someone, like hmmmm…Lili? Remember that from last night, Paul? Or did you forget? Or how about quitting smoking fags once and for all? Oh wait, you forgot about that conquest years ago, didn't ya? How about ending up in military prison for leaving to find yer long lost family and getting dishonorably discharged?"

"Don't turn this around on me, Suzy! You're not going to get around me that way." Paul argued back…Susan and Paul were at war again and Nigel watched the display and his eyes went to his Uncle in hopes he'd get them to stop.

Archie gave Nigel a glance back, then Paul and then Susan, and yelled out in a peacekeeping measure, thinking his brother and his--whatever she is had lost their senses, "ALL RIGHT THAT'S ENOUGH! You there and you over there! Can we get back on subject, please?! You know the matter at hand!"

"No." Susan replied, as Archie gave her a disgruntled sigh. Nigel stood there wide-eyed at his mother's defiance as his father started in…

"No as in not telling me what's up with this Henry-bloke, or no as in not discussing what Archie wants to have a go at?" Paul sized up the situation, the best way he knew how, by putting Susan on the spot.

Henry and Molly ventured into the kitchen both equally smiling, as Molly spoke up with a happy camper gaze, "What a lovely idea about moving back to London, Susan, you must be excited, funny, I always loved it there, so did Archie."

Susan let out a huge groan and hung her head.

Henry gave her a funny look, "Susan, you look a little tizzied, everything all right?"

Paul glanced around the room, completely flabbergasted with Susan and her dismissing of his feelings and the fact that he actually cares about her. Paul was even more ticked off about hearing that she was leaving him once again.

Nigel then yelled aloud and tromped off, "I knew it! I finally have friends and you're going to take them away!"

Susan stood there, picking her head up to look at Nigel, before hollering to her son, "Nye, Nigel…"

Paul left the room going after Nigel on foot and left Susan standing there.

"Paul…" Susan spoke his name next.

Henry with a huge beam, "Sweetheart? Time for us to---?"

Susan groaned again as she cut off Henry's proposal for the third time in a matter of hours before walking out of the room. She went after Paul and Nigel. Henry tried to follow behind her leaving Archie and Molly exchanging bizarre glances.

"Well, you still have the ring, Sweetheart. I assume you're accepting it? Honey bun? Sweetikins? Pookie?" Henry ran along after Susan, before she finally stopped in her tracks at the study door, to hear…

"I wanna stay. I wanna live with you. I don't want to live with Mummy anymore. I don't like Henry. I hate London. I have no friends there. Henry's not nice to Mummy, and he's made her cry lots. He's not like you!" Nigel and Paul huddled and hugged each other. Susan's face pained at the scene, as she peeped into the room.

"Mum and me got some issues, Nye, okay? We'll work through it," Paul responded in a soothing tone, one that Susan had never heard before, the new Paul, cares about things, and cares about people, cares. _The old Paul was harsh and hard on everyone, pessimistic about life altering events, and skeptical about everything under the sun…and drove her spastic, well, he still does. _

"Susan, I need you to say something to me." Henry heard everything that Nigel said, and wondered if Susan sided with him.

"Henry, just give me a minute," Susan walked into the study and left Henry hanging, waiting impatiently for an answer to her marrying him.

"Nye," Susan called out, but he didn't glance up at her, just wiped the tears from his eyes and focused on Paul.

"Suz, I don't get you," Paul added curtly, while not even looking at her as he had his back turned towards her and his face studied on his son's. He didn't even want to acknowledge her after trying to cut him into two in the kitchen. She had hurt him, actually crushed him, and for once he could tell her out of frustration how upset he was with her. However Paul held back because of Nigel's fragile state of mind.

_we might kiss  
when we are alone  
when nobody's watchin'  
we might take it home_

"Nigel, we're not moving anywhere right now at this very moment." It was true she and Nigel had moved to Inverness two months ago for a new way of life and she had no plans of reverting to the old way of life, which was the London life style.

"If we're not moving, then why does Henry want you to move back there? Don't you love me? Don't I get to choose who I want to live with and where I want to go too?" Nigel voiced his own concerns.

_we might make out  
when nobody's there  
it's not that we're scared  
it's just that it's delicate_

"Nye, I love you enough to make life evolve around a world that you want," Susan found herself getting teary eyed too.

"I want you with Da and I want to stay here," Nigel spoke up, glancing to Paul and Susan.

_so why d'ya fill my sorrow  
with the words you've borrowed  
from the only place you've known  
why d'ya sing hallelujah  
if it means nothin' to ya  
why d'ya sing with me at all?_

"We'll discuss this later on," Susan changed the subject again, avoiding Paul's gaze, and thinking of a way to smooth out the very bumpy road ahead for her blossoming family. Henry, who had been listening in, walked away from the study and left the house, thinking about everything Susan mentioned about 'their' moving away.

_we might live  
like never before  
when there's nothin' to give  
how can we ask for more?_

"Yes, well, later on, maybe," Paul spoke up bitterly towards Susan as she could tell he didn't want to discuss anything with her now. Susan met the old Paul again and rock hard. Paul forced a smile to Nigel, even if Susan had ripped out his heart and stomped on it for good old merry measure, especially at the thought of her leaving him once again, "On ya go, Nigel."

_we might make love  
in some sacred place  
that look on your face  
is delicate_

_  
so why d'ya fill my sorrow  
with the words you've borrowed  
from the only place you've known  
why d'ya sing hallelujah  
if it means nothin' to ya  
why d'ya sing with me at all?_

That night, Archie gave up trying to reason with Paul about Susan's ideas on how to run and affective 'Highland economy'—he agreed with her on the taxes being too high and having to raise rents on suitable tenants, but he didn't consider himself 'money hungry' or 'a cheap-skate' .

Archie loomed over the accounting books in the office as his mind kept making his brows furrow at the pros and cons of being a Laird and sitting in a stone castle, like a king. His castle stone walls were closing in on him and suddenly he wondered why he was still running Glenbogle, well because that was his job. Did he love his job? Um, on some days, yes and others, no---even when he and Paul agreed on working together as partners and splitting the decisions and duties.

"Arch? You keep staring at that book and it'll start natterin' back to you," Lexie entered the office with a pile of mail in her hands as she dropped it on the desk in the upstairs office.

"What should the book be telling me? That I'm a Tyrannosaurs Rex and I can't run an estate worth beans? Do you think Jack in the Beanstalk would sell me his beans so I could venture up a vine and never return to our castle?" Archie pouted as Lexie found herself now consoling her husband as he pitied himself.

"Running, doesn't solve a thing, Arch, nor climbing up fictitious vines…aye, so you do think about what others see you as, but you can't help it. I'm certain Susan didn't direct her article at just you, but everyone who owns heaps of land and over charges tenants rents ye up here."

"You think I over charge them?" Archie's voice faltered as a look of being let down by her swept across his face, and Lexie shook her head, 'no.'

"Arch, you turn this place right side up when it was upside down. Susan doesn't know this and she said she didn't even like the article when she wrote it!"

Archie sat in his chair as Lexie sat down on the desk directly in front of him, as she placed herself on top of the accounting book, and gave her husband a beautiful smile. Archie's head fell into her lap, while he wrapped his arms around her waist, in a sitting styled hug. Lexie tousled his hair and whispered, "I love you Arch,"

"Oh? How much?"

"More than this accounting book could ever tell you," Lexie punned, as Archie gave out a moan, "What are these? Bills? Letters? Invoices?" as he turned himself to the pile of mail and his eyes fell onto the Forestry Commission and Village Counsel addressed envelope, "What do they want?"

"I dun no." Lexie shrugged as Archie released her and then opened the letter and stared at the letter head,

_"Dear Mr. Archibald MacDonald, _

_RE: About a renewal of a land grant for lot 110536._

_Apparently, to our dismay, you owe us 40,000 pounds to repay the thirty years of grants given to you to help with a certain land ordinance. The parcel of land, lot 110536, to our discovery, you do not have rights too. Please call for payment processing. The property will foreclose and be sold to the highest bidder, if we don't receive funds from you within 24 hours. _

_Sincerely, Edith Rankin, Assistant to Forestry Commissioner and Village Counsel"_

Archie's face lost color as Lexie sat there eyeing her husband wisely, "Arch? You all right?"

"Read it," Archie panicked, handing the letter over to Lexie and feeling the need for a stiff drink and soon.

"Okay, this has got to be a kidder, if I have ever seen one. It's a mistake! I'll call Edith now and fixer-upper this." Lexie nodded, but Archie sat at the desk in complete confusion.

"Lex, Edith's had it out for us since day one! I have never been told anything about lot 110536! Where is lot 110536? I've never been there, have I?"

"Arch, calm down, Edith had issues with your father, not you. She's with the Glenbogle Women's Society which meets in our hot tub every Tuesday evening and I can corner her then as well. Besides you should chat with Paul about this too," Lexie stared at her husband, giving him warning about consulting Paul on the issue.

Archie blew out a breath, glanced at Lexie in despair, reclaimed the counsel letter and tossed it up into the air, "I will, Lex, but before troubling him, we should figure out where lot 110536 is…they want to auction off the land! If I don't own the land, I can't get the land grant renewal, can I? No, I can't!"

"If you don't consult Paul and it's the Wild Life Centre or Outdoor Activity Centre land, he'll have yer head on a silver platter like an apple-stuffed pork roast!"

"Lex, I'll have words with him."

"You betta. Now, The Vault must've somethin' on lot 110536."

"Oh?" Archie followed his wife into 'The Vault' a room off of the upstairs office and looked around at stacks of papers, shelves of dusty paperwork and also file cabinets as Lexie chanted out with a wink, " 'Pre war and post war....or is it the other way round?.....oh well it is all ancient history!' as your mother would say. Come long, Mr. Laird, let's start diggin'!"

Archie's eyes widened at the mess ahead of them to figure out where lot 110536 was, as his sigh also gave out his thought about how they'd need a blithering road map to get through 'The Vault,' he rattled out to his dear wife, "Maybe we should leave a trail of bread crumbs at the door, Gretel, so we can find our way back out."

"We won't get lost Hansel, or get to the bottom of this mess with ya sulkin' at the door way." Lexie punned back as she wandered the room looking for anything about estate land documentation.

_delicate by Damien Rice_


	2. Parts 4 thru 6

**Chapter Four…Jack and Jill went up the hill, to fetch a pail of water, Jack fell down, and broke his crown, and Jill came tumbling after—Child's saying ****J**

Susan had a hard time sleeping that Tuesday night, since the night before she spent it with Paul, snuggled in his arms and body warmth. Paul wouldn't talk to her after the article fiasco at the estate. He was still hurt about her possibly taking off on him again and now suspicious of her relation with Henry. Susan hadn't heard from her old boss either and the stunning ring in the black box now sat on her bedside table. Susan peeked at the ring, but didn't try it on. She contemplated mailing it to Henry with a note of 'Sorry, can't marry you,' but she couldn't bring herself to write the note. Susan was restless and flip-flopped, thrashed about, and then bolted upwards in bed after hearing the wind howl and the storming outside. It was very big rain storm as the both the thunder and lightening, clapping and then zapping, brought Nigel to her bedside.

"Mummy, I'm frightened."

"Come join me in bed. I'm scared too." Susan pulled up the covers to let Nigel cozy to her and then covered them up again.

"Mummy, I miss Dad," Nigel spoke up quietly, "I miss Sunday morning breakfast."

"I know you do."

"Do you miss him?"

Susan paused for a moment, trying to think about her answer to Nigel's question carefully, before truth-telling, "I do Nye. I really do."

"Do you love Dad?" Nigel asked innocently.

"Yes, I loved him before you came into the world and when we made you and now…" Susan paused herself again, as her emotions were starting to take over. Her eyes became watery and tears started to flow.

"You crying, Mummy?"

"Yes, Nye," Susan sniffled.

"Why?"

"Just sad Nye, that's all."

"About Dad?"

"A little bit, wee bug." Susan kissed her son's forehead and they both drifted off to the land of nod.

The next morning, Wednesday, things were back to normal at the Glenbogle House, Minnie had her routine of crying for someone to come get her and Paul would arrive at the door of the nursery and snatch her up and away. He'd go down to the kitchen, prepare her bottle, and nuke it in the microwave. Minnie would then grab it and feed herself while sitting on Paul's lap as he eyed the newspaper.

Lexie roamed into the kitchen, gave a huge yawn and prepared breakfast for the twins who were miraculously still sleeping, "Morning."

"Morning Paul," Lexie gave a quick nod of her head, "I see Maeve's awake."

Paul sat there as a tiny smile formed on his face, one that Lexie hadn't seen in days.

"How do you do?" Lexie asked, trying to keep some kind of a conversation up and going with her brother in law.

"I'm just tired."

"Aye, fine, ya should be. Ye've been bruitin' about since Nigel and Susan left a day ago, aren't ya gonna call'em?" Lexie cut to the chase, as she put Paul on the defensive, or tried too.

"None of your concern, Lexie, thanks." Paul dismissed her route of trying to 'discuss' his issues with Susan. Paul wanted to see Nigel, but it was Susan he was trying to avoid. Paul continued to stare blankly at the newspaper, like he was trying to hide behind it.

"Paul, ye're beamin' one moment, and the next not. What's gotten into yer heid? Don't be down about---?" Lexie began to criticize him, as it would draw his attention to her and not the paper.

"Apparently, you weren't listenin'. It's none of your concern." Paul closed himself up only for Lexie to stare at him.

"I'm simply puttin' it as if you miss Nigel, then you should've him 'ere. Look, if ye're havin' issues, which anno ye are, wit Susan, then talk on about it."

"This Henry guy shows up out nowhere. He starts callin' her 'Babe' this and 'Babe' that! And the real gut kicker is she won't explain herself to me 'bout 'im or dis moving business! And then she doesn't even say if she's leaving me or not! I assume she is! London? You heard Molly, right? Molly knew Susan was going to move back to London…" Paul replied dismally, as Minnie gave him a look and continued to suck on her bottle.

"Aye-be, Henry, do ya even know 'bout her boss?" Lexie's eyes sparkled when she was about to put a MacDonald male in his place. Paul was the glutton for punishment in her eyes as she stood firmly, waiting for answer to her question.

"What 'bout 'im?" Paul muttered, still in disbelief that Lexie knew anything about Henry and Susan.

"Oh Paul, don't be daft! Office romance, someone of her past, Paul---_Yer her present, she said so herself_---she's not goin' off to London, blimey--open yer eyes!" Lexie scoffed with a roll of her eyes.

"To who? Not me." Paul gave Lexie a sideways glance, like she was wrong, which she wasn't…

"To me!" Lexie challenged him and then went on to explain it all. "Susan doesn't have interest in Henry. He followed her up 'ere an' tried proposin' to her and she kept ignorin' 'im because she dun no how to speak to her old boss! An' snip at him to stick it where de sun dun't shine! Mind ya 'ere, he was engaged to someone else not so long ago. An' Mr. Posh and Proper, wasn't what he was cut out to be and Susan figures this!" Lexie rambled on and on, while the look of guilt formed on Paul's facial features.

"Oh."

"Yea, oh, Mr. Smarty Pants, oh! An' for yer information, bucko, she didn't want to crush ya!" Lexie boasted, trying to get through to Paul's thick head.

"She's gotta funny way of showing it…" Paul spoke up, but it was no use, as he felt stupid for not giving Susan the benefit of the doubt.

Lexie lowered her eyes and her voice, "Maybe she dun no how to show it."

"Oh," Paul's face deepened with more guilt.

"Yer not in the wrong for showin' yer emotions 'bout da situation, Paul. Yer in the wrong for allowin' them to destroy a beautiful thing you two 've." Lexie smiled at him.

"What do you propose I do?" Paul eyed her intently for an answer.

"Go chat wit her-tell her you love her, tell her you support whatever decision she makes if she's going to leave or not, which I don't believe she is. And give this little munchkin to me!" Lexie snatched up Maeve and carted her out of the room, leaving Paul sitting there with thoughts about Susan drumming on in his mind.

Come up to meet you,  
Tell you I'm sorry  
You don't know how lovely you are  
I had to find you  
Tell you I need you  
Tell you I set you apart  
Tell me your secrets  
And ask me your questions  
Oh let's go back to the start

Paul managed to get out of the truck and to Susan's street hours later. It was still early morning, and the grass in front of Susan's apartment building had a thin layer of frost. He skipped the steps, entered the building and then jaunted up the first flight, then the second flight, then third--before standing before Susan's flat. He knocked on the door firmly, glanced around the hall, until the door opened, "Paul, what are you doing here?"

Running in circles  
Coming up tails  
Heads on a silence apart  
Nobody said it was easy  
It's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be this hard  
Oh take me back to the start

"Susan, got a minute?" As Susan stepped back from the entrance way a let him in, before shutting the door and turning herself to him. She had her reading glasses on her head, as she had been working on another article for Highlander Magazine. Paul could tell she was distant.

"I got a minute, Paul, tea? I put on a kettle and I'm makin' myself a cuppa," Susan walked past him, into the kitchenette and then grabbed to mugs from a mug tree—a polka-dotted mug tree with only five pegs, instead of six that Nigel had made her in school last year as a Christmas present. _Paul gave Susan a hard time about the artist of the mug tree two days ago while he fried up eggs—He commented on how dreadful it looked, before she informed him the artist was his son and then his face beamed out, "My son the woodcarver extraordinaire?" Susan gave him a huge laugh and said, "You're just jealous that I got a present from him!"_

I was just guessing  
At numbers and figures  
Pulling your puzzles apart  
Questions of science  
Science and progress  
Do not speak as loud as my heart  
Tell me you love me  
Come back and haunt me  
Oh and I rush to the start

"Great, sounds good, where's Nigel?" Paul turned his head to every corner of the lounge in hopes to see his son. Paul then walked over to the sofa and sat down.

"Off with Claire and a schoolmate at the cinema. I was supposed to go but the work duty calls, you know how that is," Susan grinned, but then her smile faded, as she realized Paul's face didn't smile back.

Susan gathered both mugs of tea and then sat down in a chair opposite of Paul, "There ya go."

"Thanks."

Running in circles  
Chasing our tails  
Coming back as we are  
Nobody said it was easy  
It's such a shame for us to part  
Nobody said it was easy  
No one ever said it would be so hard  
I'm going back to the start &&&

Awkward moment of silence crawled in…Susan just sipped her tea, so did Paul as they didn't speak until, at once…

"You know…"

"Look…"

Paul's lips curved into a small smile, as Susan grinned again, "Go first."

Susan replied, "No, you."

Paul set the tea cup down, and then found himself thinking about what to say to her, and how to phrase that Lexie informed him he was being a dimwitted fool. Lexie also told him to just chalk up the situation and chat with Susan about her true feelings on the subject of 'them.'

"Susan, Lexie told me about Henry and this idea of moving…"

"Right, Henry," Susan found herself starting to get embarrassed, not because of Henry, but because she upset Paul, "I'm sorry for what I said other day in the estate kitchen. It wasn't exactly called for, was it?"

"No, but you've got a point. I got to quit smoking the fags, or they'll kill me. Should probably think twice 'bout going into a military prison again and I do keep to myself when something is on my mind. I'm sorry for jumping to conclusions with you that wasn't called for ether."

"Well, good then, I think," Susan gave a small laugh, before concluding, "Nigel misses you."

"I miss him." Paul replied instantaneously, while he continued to stare at Susan and another small beam formed across his face, "I miss you too."

Susan stopped smiling as her face blushed and then she continued on, "Nigel should move in with you."

Paul's face went blank, "What?"

"Well, I've been thinking, this place isn't exactly for Nigel, is it? Cracked ceilings, bumps on walls, decrepit building--- Paul, it's not much of a home for him, is it?" Susan second guessed herself, a new trait that Paul wasn't used too seeing or hearing.

"Susan, if this is about the other day…I mean…"

"No, yes, yes, no, I overheard everything the other day in the estate study. He didn't exactly want to stay with me anymore. I reckon he needs a father around, something I couldn't provide…I mean…"

"Now look, there's a lot to be said for how you've brought him on. He's great! You're done well, Susan."

"But he needs you." Susan's face fell again, only for Paul to scoot over to her and kneel down on his knees as he took her tea mug from her hands and set it aside on an end table near the chair. He then put his hand on her chin to get her look at him, "An' you."

"Very sweet, but no, he should just move in with you," Susan moved her face upwards and away from Paul's hand.

"I have to discuss this with Archie and Lexie, I mean, they'd be okay, it's my son. I don't want to take him away from you."

"You're not taking, I'm giving," Susan added emotionally.

"Giving?" Paul replied with a dumbfound look, "How's bout sharing? Not just giving?"

"Sharing?" Susan's face fell again, "I'd see him weekends. With the paper…"

"_You are plannin' on goin' back to London?_ You're goin' to up an' leave him here an' go back to London?" Paul stated sternly, not sure he liked where the conversation took its turn as it meant she wouldn't only leave Nigel, but prove his fears true that she'd leave him all over again.

"Paul, why are you here? Is there a reason? Are you trying to tell me something that I don't know? I don't want to leave and go back to London, but work is there. I'm constantly working here to keep us with a roof over our head, the way of life here is nice, but…"

"Susan, we'll work out the money, you and me. I'd help you first before I allow you to go back there."

"Henry…"

"Tell Henry to flip off," Paul fussed, as Susan's eyes grew wide at Paul's reaction, "Sorry, Lexie just said you had a hard time telling him where to fly it, and---?"

"He asked me to marry him, well tried too, about three times. I haven't seen Henry since I walked out of the estate study the other day. And when I went to look for him, he was gone."

"Yer not serious, Suz, about marryin' on to some---?" Paul stopped himself from verbally bashing Susan's old boss, which provoked Susan to state the obvious, her 'feelings' on the matter of marrying off to Henry.

"Paul, I don't want to marry anyone. Yes, there was a time when I hoped Henry and I would marry, but he instead decided to betroth himself to someone else. I told him I was moving on, quitting the paper…that was two months ago. He downshifts too fast, Paul! And you heard Nigel he doesn't exactly like Henry…" Susan rambled on and on again only for Paul to lean in fast and capture her lips with his. The kiss grew slowly like a little bud of a flower on a spring day, as the flower took the time to grow, leaves, a green stem and then with more sun and watering, it bloomed into a beautiful red rose…the moment grew more intense, as Susan finally broke free from Paul for air.

"Suz,"

"Pauly, I'm not going anywhere. I'm sorry I upset you and lead you to believe I was leaving, but I'm far from it." Paul stood up, held out a hand and they found themselves kissing their way into the bedroom once again…as Paul hit the bedroom door shut with his foot.

&&&The Scientist-Coldplay

**Chapter Five---To move or not to move? That is the question… ****J**

Lexie found Archie that same morning in 'The Vault' as he was turning pages to old accounting books, searching for receipts and blowing off dust off of file folders. Lexie walked in with a cup of tea and handed it to Archie, "Here."

"Thanks, not a stiff drink of scotch, but it will do," Archie joked, as he accepted the cup.

"Actually, ye made that cupper particularly strong," Lexie gave him a big hint that there was stiff scotch in with the tea, "Still no luck?"

"None what so ever, I can't even find a single damn paper on this lot 110536! I'm going blithering mad," Archie complained before sipping his cup of tea and then grumbling after scolding his tongue, "Oof-ergh!"

"Hot," Lexie warned him after the fact.

"I felt that."

"Oh Arch, something is bound to turn up. Maybe Molly knows."

"Mother has a shop to run. Even with Lizzie at the helm, she still has no time for estate business." Archie gave a quick nod of the head as he was right, as his mother had her own life now.

"This was her home, Arch, an' she helped us at Tax Demand time…" Lexie explained, "Maybe Paul might help, you did talk to Paul about this tether, right?"

Archie stared at his wife guiltily, before Lexie got the huge clue, "Arch, you need to work yerself with 'im."

"I'm workin' on it. Where is he?"

"He's at Susan's…" Lexie gave a huge smile, and got excited, "It's been about three hours, think they've sided their differences, if you know what I mean,"

"…either that or she kicked him out an' he's lolly gaggin' 'bout feeling like the world blew up on him."

"Oh Arch, you're being pessimistic! They lurve each other!"

"Well, they fight like cats and dogs, them two, it's not exactly healthy for Nigel, you know? Mother and Father would bicker on and on and I constantly felt the heat."

"Anno,"

"Maybe, they've come to their senses and are debating how to tend to Nigel…it's too bad he couldn't---?" Lexie's brain gave off a light bulb over her head indicating a strong idea and Archie caught sight of the bright light above his wife and decided to switch it off by use of the pull string…

"Oh no," Archie shook his head…

"You didn't even give me a chance to say it!"

"What is it then?" Archie had his ideas on what Lexie had to tell him…

"Maybe, if Susan and Paul get on, they should both consider moving in…Nigel should be here too. He's a rightful MacDonald, as just as anyone else…"

"Lexie, you're seriously jumping the gun here, aren't you?" Archie stood glancing at his wife, but understanding where her heart was at…

"Arch, it's a possibility. C'mon, it's family, Arch, and almost Christmas Sunday which is in four days, where's your sense of spirit?"

"Endless possibility…"

"We have room…"

"This room is endless! Maybe we should move them in here after we toss most of this old clutter out!" Archie remarked with another exasperated look at the pile of papers. Lexie wrapped a loving arm around her husband and kissed him gently, "We'll find this lot paperwork and sort this all out soon, Arch. It's a complete misunderstanding…Village counsel has their wires crossed and they can't auction off any land that they don't rightfully own themselves…there's got to be some paperwork somewhere…"

"Meanwhile our 24 hours are dwindling away…"Archie grumbled again in irritation and slammed his hand on a pile of papers on a shelf. A golf ball-one of Hector's, which was deeply hidden amongst the mess on the shelf rolled and hit a small book, which then tumbled down to the floor as a land map sailed out from it, "What's this?"

"Looks to me, lot 110536…" Lexie smiled as Archie viewed the map over and blew out another breath.

Susan and Paul had managed to take a snooze together that afternoon. Susan woke from the nap, her eyes searched around the room, remembering Paul was still sleeping beside her. Her face turned to the clock on the bedside table, as her mind logged in, _'13:15pm, still early and Nigel won't be home soon…oh crumb, the ring!' _Susan sat up slowly, in hopes to not stir Paul, as she climbed out of bed, tossed on a piece of clothing, Paul's navy jumper, which the sleeves were so long that they hung over her hands. Susan snatched the ring off the table, _'I have to get rid of this…I have to hide it, where? Office!' _Susan quickened her pace, turned her head and not watching where she was going and tripped herself up on Paul's boots which were in the middle of the doorway. Susan let out a muffled yelp, as she grabbed her right big toe, stood herself up. She then glanced back at the bed, hoping her cry didn't wake Paul up, which it didn't. She then scurried towards the office, kept peeking out of the office because she could see directly into her bedroom, and when the coast was clear, opened her top desk drawer and shoved the black box in…

Susan jumped startled and slammed the drawer shut when she heard, "Hey Lady, nice jumper, do you got a kilt to go with that?"

Paul stood there as a smile spread across his face like on a smiley sunshine wearing sunglasses. Susan let out a nervous laugh, and grinned, before replying, "Sorry, the jumper didn't come with one!"

Paul asked, eyeing her intently and hungrily as the idea of being with her again wasn't far from his mind, "Oh really?"

"Sorry I woke you, I mean…" Susan walked away from the desk, relieved that he didn't see her put the ring from Henry in her desk drawer, and stood in front of Paul at the door.

"Eh, I just woke up and you were gone…I wanted to be sure you weren't heading straight for the hills again," Paul laughed as Susan continued to grin, "What would you do if I told you I was secretly planning to book it?"

Paul got a bright gleam in his eyes, as he still loved being teased by the new and old Susan. He snatched her up and tossed her over his shoulder, "I reckons I got to do this!" Susan let a screech and laughed, as he carried her back to her bedroom and dropped her on the bed, before joining her.

"We thought about Nigel moving in. Don't suppose you'd move too?" Paul blurted out immediately, which completely caught Susan off guard.

"Moving?" Susan lay there with Paul on top of her, still smiling, until it faded…as he waited for Susan to give him an answer…

"Well, I figure if I got to chat it up with Archie and Lexie about Nigel, might as well, put in a strong word for you too. You don't like that. Think we're not ready after being on and off in one week? I know one week isn't exactly very long. Suz-I'm eager for you, for Nigel, and for our family to work. We've got on together before…" Paul went on and on and on until Susan planted a big smooch on his lips to quiet him down. "That was…"

"Ask, okay? I still have to work everyday. Mind you Nigel would have to switch schools again…I…" Paul cut her off in a lip brush, broke free and beamed once again, "I love you."

"Thank you." Susan replied, _as they weren't exactly the words that Paul was hoping to hear from her, but they'd do for now anyway. _

"Good settled. You move out of here. In with me and no more worries about yours or Nigel's well being." Paul winked.

"And what if Archie and Lexie have a conniption and believe it's a lousy mind bumble. Come on Pauly, I didn't exactly make a good impression with that article…"

"Dun worry about that," Paul smiled once again. "Just think about the time we get to spend together. We got eleven years to make up…"

"Oh you think?" Susan gave him a 'challenging his bold statement' glance, which could lead to a tickle torture, which they were both good at giving...

"Oh yea," Paul and Susan both laughed again…and then tickling each other away…

Paul returned to the estate, as he drove towards the bridge, he wasn't sure of what to make of the mob scene. The villagers of Glenbogle, or some of Archie and Paul's tenants were slicking cow dung (or trying too) across the bridge. There was a good two dozen or so of men with rakes, hoes and pitch forks, who were ready to clobber the Laird of Glenbogle. Archie stood with Lexie before the lot defending himself to Ferguson McBain, a childhood schoolmate of his too and the head of the angry mob. Paul climbed out of the land rover and voyaged over and through the angry crowd.

"What the hll is this about?" Paul asked starving for an answer.

Archie argued on and on with Ferguson as Paul stood there listening in…

"I have no inkling what you're implying Ferguson! Nothing will happen to your homes near that lot, I promise you."

"There's someone already who's purchased the land or about too…" Ferguson complained as 23 others yelled out, "Yeah!"

"This bgger wants to knock down trees and build new homes for other people!" Ferguson held out a letter. "I received this letter yesterday at my door!"

"We as well!" Charlie and Marley Appleby shouted out, who were twins and Archie's schoolmates at one point in time. Paul got his hands on the letter and read it over…

"Paul," Archie looked to his brother for help…

Paul came to his half brother's aide by whistling with his two fingers trying to calm the angry group, "NOW hang on! HEY! HANG ON!"

The men shut right up as Paul started to speak, "No one is cutting anything down or building anything without our approval! Just go back to your homes and we'll talk on with the Forestry commission and also this Mr. 'X'…we'll have a town meeting at a later date, just go on!!! Scatter! I mean it!"

The men grumbled again and again, not pleased with Archie or Paul's approach to the problem at hand about them losing their homes, but they tuned into Paul more so than Archie at that moment.

"Tomorrow morning this mess better be straight Archie MacDonald or else!" Ferguson hollered out as the angry mob followed him away from the bridge and back to their cars, vans and trucks. Paul stared at Archie, "Explain it now…many people don't sound too impressed with this Mr. 'X'—we're partners, remember? We work together, why do I get this impression you've been working on this behind my back?"

"Paul, we've lost some kind of a land grant from the Forestry Commission and Village Counsel for a lot called 110536…supposeofly, its land that is not just Glenbogle's only forest, but land which is nearby to the houses of more than half of our tenants! I've got no clue where the lot was until now!" Archie announced as his half brother listened.

"Well, we'll fix it up..." Paul had other things on his mind to talk to Archie and Lexie about...

"Hey Paul?" Lexie called out to him as he stopped walking towards the land rover.

"Yeah?" Paul cocked a brow at Lexie and then strolled back towards Archie and Lexie once again.

"How's Susan an' Nigel?" Lexie watched Paul perk up with a pure smile at the mentions of their names.

"Very well, I got something to chat with the both of you about, I'll meet with you back at the house…" Paul jaunted towards the land rover again and this time climbed inside and drove off.

"See, what did I tell you?" Lexie shot Archie an 'I knew it and you didn't believe it' glance.

"You told me nothing and we still don't know what happened with them two."

"Arch, he's happy, it's a good sign…" Lexie beamed as she threw her arm around his waist as they walked back towards the Wild Life Centre truck.

"I want Susan and Nigel to move in here…just temporary until we find something for the three of us to live in…" Paul began as he sat in the study with Archie and Lexie. Archie poked at the fire in the fireplace with a poker and then stood up near the mantel casting his eyes downward on the firelight.

"I knew it," Lexie gave a huge grin at Archie of satisfaction for being right about Paul and Susan.

"Knew what?" Molly asked as she walked into the study.

"Mother, good of you to join us," Archie smiled, as Molly gave him a sideways glance and sat down next to Lexie on the old high back sofa seat.

"Oh just a huge hunch that Paul and Susan would decide to come together finally--- You had the same hunch, Molly, over a week ago, so I can't take all of the credit," Lexie grinned, as her mother in law gave her a short look and then turned her attention to Paul.

Paul then explained, "The village school would be good for him. He'd be happier helping out with the Centre and rabbits. It would teach him some responsibility. Now I know you don't like Susan's article, Archie, but it's not her. When you'd actually get to know her, she's not that bad…"

"Paul, stop trying to sell us when we're all ready sold on it!" Lexie shouted out, knowing having another woman around the estate would be nice…she had been missing the female company since Lili passed away, even though she enjoyed Lizzie, Lizzie was always busy with the shop. Archie didn't seem to object to the idea of more house live-ins. Archie rubbed his aching back instead and tried to finish his Scotch.

"You okay?" Paul asked Archie, who in return replied, "Just my back ache…still there, I'm afraid," Archie stood there as asked carefully, "When exactly would they be moving in? Where would we put them?"

"Susan and Paul in my old room since its warmer…" Molly implied as Archie gave his mother a look.

"Molly, you sure about this?" Lexie began, just checking to find out if Molly really wanted it to happen…having Paul and Susan take over her old room. The room that they had set aside for her just incase she wanted to move out of the flat above the shop and back home.

"Of course I am. You can't blockade a room because of old memories. I don't live at the house anymore and once Golly and I get married in the spring, we'll be moving into the cabin together. Lizzie and I have talked about her and Martha moving into the flat above the shop, until I move with Golly…and even then they are in Lizzie's old room for now… so pointless to keep a room here for me…you and Archie have your own room. The twins and Minnie are in Jamie's old room. Hector's old room is still done up for you Lexie, and you could move Nigel in there…it would make sense for Susan and Paul to live here too," Molly made a huge stride to at least acknowledge Paul as Hector's son too, even if she still had problems with Hector's infidelity, "Besides, I did give you those flowers to give Susan, remember? Oh children, out with the old and in with the new…"

"Yes and she liked them…that's very noble of you, Molly, but you haven't aged over a day of twenty…" Paul gave Molly and nod of the head.

"Look, you're not going to get around me that way, but I'll take that as a compliment," Molly winked as Archie listened in closely, but didn't question when the flowers were delivered to Paul via Molly to give to Susan, instead Archie inquired again, before Lexie interrupted him in excitement.

"Settled then so when does our famous reporter move in?" Lexie smiled warmly at Archie…

"Well, soon?" Paul added with a laugh.

"Tomorrow?" Lexie gave a wink as Archie as he blew out a breath since he was no match for his wife and he could tell Lexie was looking forward to the new company,

"Yes, as soon as Susan and Nigel are able to move in," Archie concluded with a smile at Paul.

Meanwhile…about twenty minutes later…

"So givin' it a go?" Lexie begged for details in the kitchen after setting a cup of hot tea in front of Paul as a temping offer…

"Go givin' yes," Paul smiled.

"Did you tell her you loved her?" Lexie pried…

"Lexie, what do you think?" Paul gave a laugh…

"Yes, and she told you she was completely utterly madly in lurve right back?" Lexie winked but Paul's facial features hardened, "What's a matter?"

"She didn't tell me she loved me…"

"What?" Lexie gave Paul a bewildered look, "What did you do to her?"

"I did nothing."

"You did something, normally a woman replies back positively when told by her soulmate, her one true lurver that--?" Paul stopped Lexie from finishing her thought.

"It's Susan, functional Susan…she doesn't exactly wear her heart on her sleeve, instead she thanked me."

"She thanked you?" Lexie's mouth dropped open like she was in shock and slight denial.

"Yes, in appreciation of the simple gesture," Paul replied, but Lexie continued to be baffled.

"Huh, awful, she should've told you…" Lexie shrugged her shoulders.

"Well, she didn't." Paul's worry formed in the back of his mind as he continued to put up a front with Lexie.

"I'm gunna 'ave to 'ave a word wit that lass!" Lexie squabbled as Paul gave her a sigh, "She'll say it Lexie, when she feels it…I can't push."

"Then pull'er then!"

"How do you pull a woman to love you back?" Paul shot a question Lexie's way, one she couldn't answer, "Your silence, precisely speaks its own answer. You don't so leave her be."

In the meantime…

Susan was in the office working away when the phone rang…she assumed it was Paul calling her as he had said he would phone her once he knew the news…maybe he knew the verdict about Nigel and her moving in so soon. Her mind shifted to Nigel and Claire and wondering how their afternoon was…

"Hello, what's the plan?" Susan asked dreamily, but it wasn't Paul at the other end.

"Susan, no plan," a familiar voice spoke as she then realized who it was… "Henry?"

"Look, love, need you to be quick and write an article…Jot this down it's the last one…I said I'd call back days ago…"

"I know. I got the message. I see you got mine."

"Yes, I did. I need you to follow through on this one…" Henry sounded urgent on the phone, more than usual.

Susan wrote everything down on a legal pad, even though she had other things to talk about with Henry, like the ring sitting in her desk drawer. Susan also wanted to know why he up and took off days ago too. She scribbled down the last of the information…

"Thanks and luck." Henry stated firmly with no emotion in his voice.

"Henry?" Susan inquired to his silence…

"Yes?"

"Nevermind, I got the information. I'll work on it and fax it in."

"Okay…I--?" Henry paused, before Susan added, "Thanks."

"Yea, cheerio," Henry then ended the phone call before Susan could say anything else.

"Cheerio," Susan hung up the cradle of the phone, just as the flat front door opened and Claire's and Nigel's voices filled the room. Susan met them out in the kitchen area, "How was the cinema?"

"Mum, awesome, brill! About an Elf who…" Nigel started to chatter on and on about the movie's pointless Christmas plot while Claire then interrupted with a "How've you been?" to her harried sister.

"Been better."

Claire could tell Susan's mood had changed considerably since the late morning as her sister couldn't seem to hide her grin, "Nye, why don't you get yerself a comic and read for a bit while I chat it up with Aunt Claire, aye?"

Susan glanced at Nigel, while he nodded, "Aye, Mum!"

Susan walked into the kitchen, opened the refrigerator door and pulled out a bottle of water, before pouring it into a glass that she had retrieved from the cabinet above the range. Susan walked over to the kitchen table with the glass and set it in front of Claire, who in turn pulled out a bottle of medicine and swallowed a couple pills. Claire then smartly gulped the water down and replied, "Thanks a bunch."

"Paul seems to think the resolution to every problem is if Nigel and I move in with him…"

Claire gave Susan a blank look and then a half smile, "Okay…an' when 'bouts were ye plannin' on telling me?"

"I don't know if we're moving anywhere yet, the whole idea popped up today…Paul came by an'---?"

"You want to know what I think---it's great," Claire smiled warmly as Susan stared at her…

"You think?"

"C'mon me knockin' on wood serious 'ere, sis, it's a grand thing ye've got---thank goodness he got his act together an' came to see ye…"

"Claire-he doesn't know about your health."

"He doesn't 've to know an' doc says 'I'm fit as a fiddle,"

"Claire, sweets, I worry…"

"Dun worry, I'm alive…ever since the surgery. I'm healthy an'---?"

"Claire."

"Suz, don't," Claire paused and replied, "Ye love 'im an' if ye keep smilin' googly-eyed it's gonna crack!"

"He told me he---loved me…but…?"

"Well, doya then?"

"Claire."

"So didya tell 'im?"

"No, I said, 'thank-you,'" Susan started to sink in her seat while Claire shot her a look of confusion, "It's been years since I said anything to Paul about loving him…I mean…"

"Fer cryin' out loud, yer actin' like an olde maid! Ye hopeless, Suz! I can only imagine Paul being charming says, "I love you soooo much smoochy kissy" an' ye told 'im, 'thank-you' like a spinster olde maid would to a grocery delivery lad!"

"It wasn't that bad."

"No?"

"He came here---wanted to chat—one thing just lead on--?"

"Ye did the deed again!" Claire laughed aloud as Susan turned bright red, stumbling on words… "Ye face resembles a pair of red long johns at the mo', sister…"

"I plead the fifth."

"We're in Scotland, not America! That won't work with me sister!"

"Anyway, Paul said he'd phone."

"Well, guessin' ye need to phone 'im, yerself an' tell 'im yer madly, truly, deeply, utterly, devoted to 'im or I could do it?"

Susan shot Claire a look of 'Don't you dare!' "Claire…"

"Oh poo, yer takin' the fun out if it all…I'm the lil' sis, this is my job. I'm s'posed to raz ye on…" Claire added with a pout, before concluding, "Love at first sight deserves a fair square chance."

"Love at first breath?" Susan joked since she had known Paul since actually her very first breath ever…

"Aye," Claire nodded her head and then placed her hand over her sister's,

"Suzy, I'm not gonna melt like the first snow 'ere. Ye canna move an hour away. Aunt Marjorie's been takin' care of me heaps. Ye gave up a lot for me moons ago. Ye now need to live life...ye need to do what's best for Nye and you."

"I guess,"

"I guess?" Claire made a funny face and wrinkled up her nose while imitating her sister's voice and then gave her a look of 'Ye're bein' bubble brained' "Listen up you, he's in love wit ya…go fer it. Ye're in love wit 'im too."

"Says who?" Susan asked her sister swiftly as her brows rose.

"Says me," Claire blinked and smiled… "Ye don't join a family like de Army, Suz, ye create an' grow it."

"Like a potted plant? I have a brown thumb mind you!"

"No! Ye nurture it, ye nummy!" Claire joked back, "Ye're fine with plants!" as Claire's eyes searched around the flat looking at the arrangement of ten or so house plants everywhere, hanging in windows and sitting on stands. "Look at 'em all! I'm natterin' on 'bout love, sis too…If by chance fireworks strike and go off, whizzin' 'bout yer heids then cherish it true, as love."

Claire was certainly right that Susan was indeed in love, even if she didn't tell herself so…Susan sat there with now a goofy smile upon her star struck face, Claire teased Susan some more…"Ye getting' dehydrated, maybe yer the one in need of the fizzy water. Here's a napkin for the drool on yer chin!" Claire tossed napkin from the napkin holder on the table at Susan.

Susan laughed and tossed scrunched up napkin back table at her sister--- "I am not droolin' over Paul!"

"Face it, ye are!" Claire laughed again, "Have ye both got a flat? Why doesn't he move in here?"

"It's a possibility, but he wants us at the house…I'd imagine until Paul and I got things together…"

"Settled all ready?" Claire smiled again…

"Nothing's etched in stone, Claire…"

"I'm sure it is…I can feel it," _and Claire could in her heart…_

**Chapter Six---Swinging in the branches…**

That same night, after Paul had talked to Archie and Lexie about Susan and Nigel moving in, Paul showed up at Susan's door once again, as Nigel answered it, "I got it! Dad?" as he wrapped his arms around Paul giving him a hug.

"Hello Nye, your Mum is here still right?" Paul entered the flat as Susan came walking out of her office with her glasses sitting on the top of her head, before pulling them off and closing them up in her hand as she gave Paul a smile.

"You could've phoned, you know," Susan laughed, as she greeted Paul at the door and gave him a kiss.

"Not for what I got to say," He gave a huge nod of the head as Susan cocked a brow at him.

"What?" Nigel glanced from one parent to the other.

"You two move out tomorrow. We'll pack everything up over the week and weekend, and you then can tell the lord you're settling somewhere else."

"Moving? Where? Going where?" Nigel asked quickly, praying it wasn't back to London and voiced his fear, "We're not going to London are we?"

"No wee bug, we're not going to London. Listen to your father," Susan gave Nigel a pat on the head.

"Oh right, no room in the house for you, Nye. You snooze with the rabbits," Paul joked as Nigel's eyes grew wide and he tossed his arms around his father's waist again.

"I'm moving in with you?" Nigel inquired as Paul nodded his head and Nigel shouted aloud, "HALLELUJAH!"

Susan and Paul shared a chuckle together at Nigel's loud, 'AMEN.'

"I believe the angels could hear that one way up in heaven," Susan punned as Nigel laughed too before running straight for his bedroom and in a sing-song voice, "I have to pack! I have to pack! I have toooooo paaaccckkkk!"

"How'd they take to you asking them?" Susan eyed Paul closely.

"No problem. Actually, as absurd as it blurbs, strikingly odd, Molly gave us permission to move into her old bedroom," Paul shrugged.

"Maybe she's trying to get on with you."

"Or she realizes, I'm a permanent fixture."

"Paul, your mother did what she could for you, and it's not like your father was there…maybe, not speaking for Molly, but from my own mind, maybe she is coming around in her own away, even if she doesn't accept being cheated on…I don't blame the poor soul as it's tough…" Susan began as her mind shifted to her problem she still had with Henry.

"You're right, Suz. She's the one who gave me the flowers to give you."

"Oh, so now the truth comes out. And here all this time I thought you believed in bringing a woman flowers at her doorstep," Susan teased once again and Paul rolled his eyes, "Yes, I was given some firm advice when I came here last weekend."

"We should ring that blasted laird and inform him that the Mr. 'X' wants to meet with him on the wood lot," Ferguson grumbled, as Charlie and Marley sat next to him at the bar.

"Me thinks yer onto sumpthin', we could ring on…" Charlie gave a nod of his head as the men snickered to each other before paying for their pints and then making way to the call box in the corner of the pub.

The phone rang at Glenbogle House as Archie answered it, Marley tried not to laugh in to the receiver as Ferguson glared at him, "Mister MacDonald?"

"Yes, speaking?" Archie waited for the answer from the other end of the line…

"Mr. 'X' here, like to meet you down at the wood lot at ten in the morn, you know what this is about,"

"Oh right, the land, right?" Archie muttered, but the voice, which was muffled on the other end.

"See you there." Marley hung up the phone as he and his brother busted out laughing and Ferguson glared at them again. Archie gave the phone an odd look before hanging up the receiver on the cradle, and asking himself "That's settled?"

The next morning, on Thursday, Susan and Nigel started to settle themselves at the Glenbogle House. They still had lots of stuff to move between furniture, a kitchen and its belongings, Susan and Nigel's bedrooms and Susan's office, but only the essentials made it to the house during the first trip. Paul and Susan had packed everything up between the land rover and her car. Once they made it to the house, Paul made a point to help Susan carry some of her 'packed' up office into the study.

"Welcome!" Lexie yelled out as she waved at Paul and Susan, and then Nigel as the trio carrying luggage and boxes approached the main entrance, before hugging them both, "Well, go on, let's get ya settled!"

"Where's Archie?" Paul asked as he set the box he carried into the front hall.

"He's off meetin' wit Mr. 'X' on lot 110536," Lexie stated, as she followed the trio back outside to help out with boxes.

"All ready?" Paul stared at Lexie, not sure if he liked the idea of Archie meeting with the Mr. 'X' alone in the woods after meeting the group of angry villagers from yesterday. Paul had been distracted with helping Susan and Nigel move that he hadn't had time to focus on the land issue.

"What's a matter Paul?" Susan asked after picking up another box and sensing something was up. Paul set two more boxes down and Susan's suitcase, before answering her, "Nothing to worry over, Suzy-Q."

"Okay."

"Now," as Paul shut the land rover's back hutch, "Nigel and I will head back to Inverness and get a few more boxes,"

Nigel gave his father a huge smile, "Yeah!"

"Hop in, on you go," Paul nodded his head to his son and informed him to get back into the land rover.

"Okay, drive back safely," Susan winked as she and Lexie waved Nigel and Paul on.

"Aye, what's first?" Susan laughed, as Lexie replied, "We move ya into yer rooms!"

Archie found the wood lot, lot 110536, was an old growth forest, probably one of Glenbogle's oldest. He found the land trail without much trouble as he climbed out of the Wild Life Centre truck, and walked down the trail, while he carried the map that he had found in The Vault in front of him…

Unbeknownst to Archie, Ferguson McBain, Charlie and Marley Appleby and a few aggravated others, were waiting for him to show, "He's here men…"

Charlie radioed into Marley, who nodded his head towards Ferguson as he stood there. Archie approached him and replied, "Morning Ferguson."

"Archie," Ferguson gave a nod of his head.

"What are you doing here? I told you yesterday that I wasn't going to allow anyone to build anything here or chop down any trees," Archie began as he tried to reason with the men.

"We want it in writin'!" Ferguson shouted aloud as his eyes went to Marley, who was hidden behind a tree.

"Well, I can't put anything in writing Ferguson until I work out my mess with Counsel, you know this. I told you this yesterday, now I'm supposed to be meetin' with Mr. 'X' about the property…" Archie walked closer to Ferguson, as his foot stood in a rope loop which was hidden under leaves and snow. Ferguson's eyes continued to glance in Marley's direction. Charlie stood behind Archie as the men started to corner Archie to stand directly on the rope loop.

"We want it in writin'!"

"I can only give you my word," Archie spoke up sharply before Ferguson gave Marley the 'go ahead' and within seconds Archie hollered out, as he was tripped up by the rope loop (the manmade booby trap) which wrapped around the Laird's feet. Marley and Charlie tightened and knotted the rope around the highest point of the tree so Archie was hanging upside down! The men then climbed down the trunk and high-fived each other, like it was a job well done!

"AAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!! What the bldy hll---??"

"No writin', no word. You hang out for awhile and give it some thought. By the way, we're Mr. 'X', your meeting was wit us," Ferguson bullied as Archie felt the blood rushing to his head and his coat, truck keys, wallet, everything in his pockets fell out, even his pen knife to the old ground.

"Ferguson! I showed up here because I love the land, the people…why the---Ferguson! Charlie! Marley! Men! Gents! Come back!!!!" Archie screamed aloud as the group of men, who were now laughing in hysterics continued to walk down the trail, leaving the poor disgruntled laird to swing in the breeze.

Meanwhile, Lexie and Susan were busily trying to move the boxes into the right rooms. As Susan walked out to the drive to gather another box which Paul had left after unloading the land rover, a limo came barreling down the driveway. Susan stood there as the car stopped in front of her and an electric window went down. A man's face appeared at the window, "Mr. Higgins to see the Laird Archie MacDonald," as Susan glanced at the driver and in a state of shock, "Mortimer? What on earth are you doing here?"

"I was about to ask you the same thing, Sugar plum dumplin'," As a voice with a distinct charm, a Texan drawl spoke up, Susan turned in fear as she looked at her father. Mr. Higgins had climbed out of the car with a brief case in his hand.

"Whaaa---t are you doing here?" Susan backed away from the rental limo and stared at her father. He was a short, burly man with a huge cowboy hat on his head, gold belt buckle (with an oxen head on it) that was holding up his pants, and cowboy boots strapped on his feet---he resembled a real 'Texas Cowboy.'

"I'm here because of business, darlin'." Mr. Higgins didn't smile at his daughter, as he just stared at her, "what, are you, doin' here?"

_"I live here,"_ Susan's voice faltered as Mr. Higgins eyes widened and he replied, _"Funny, never pictured yah as a Laird's wife."_

"I'm not a laird's wife," Susan grumbled.

"I am." Lexie came up behind Susan and to her aide.

"Oh good, well then, you tell you're hubby that Mr. Anthony Higgins, III, requests a meeting with the laird for a business dealin'. He knows where to reach me…"

"Sorry, he's not here at the moment and what kind of business dealin'? How does my husband reach you?" Lexie questioned, as she could tell Susan was nervous.

"Eh, I'll swing by tomorrow." Mr. Higgins climbed back into his limo as it drove off, down the lane.

"Aye Susan? OK?" Lexie's brows lifted, while she collected the last box from Susan's arms.

"I don't like the sound of this," Susan shook her head.

"Sound of what?" Lexie gave Susan a puzzled look.

"That man was my father, what did he want with Archie?"

"I got no clue, but Archie's been dealin' with this lot 110536 business…"

"Susan and Lexie, where's Archie?" as a voice spoke up from behind Lexie and Susan as it was Golly who was carrying his stalkin' rifle and dangling some dead rabbits roped up in his other hand.

"Lot 110536?" Susan asked again, still wanting more information.

"Lot 110536, is an old growth forest not far from the estate, _it's owned by Archie_," Golly announced, "There's homes that line the forest, some of the homes, Archie rents out to…"

"Tenants?" Susan started to put the puzzle pieces together and she groaned out.

"Wha?" Lexie gave Susan a look, _"We lost a land grant for that forest, Golly, Arch, doesn't own it." _

Susan starting to think something wasn't right asked, "Where's Archie again?"

"Archie went off to lot 110536 to meeta wit someone who's trying to buy lot 110536...OH NO," Lexie stopped herself again as her eyes filled with fear, as a shiver went up her spine, "Arch should have been back here by now. Think somethin' might've happened to him?"

Archie continued to dangle from the tree as he could feel the cool air surrounding him. He shivered still hanging upside down and hoping, praying, wishing someone from the estate would find him soon.

Susan and Lexie followed the duplicate map from the book that Archie had found up in The Vault…as Susan drove her car, Lexie navigated with the map. They reached the trail, noticed the Wild Life Truck, turned off the car and then scooted out, looking around…

"He's gotta be here somewhere," Lexie worried as she peeked inside the truck. Susan took a peek in the back of the Wild Life Centre truck and snatched Paul's climbing gear in a pack.

"Why do we need that?" Lexie asked, unsure of what Susan was planning on doing with Paul's mountain climbing gear.

"Just in case, we need to climb a tree or something…"

The women walked down the trail yelling out, "Archie! Archie!"

Archie just barely conscious, woke up to his wife's voice, "Lex?" He spoke with a shiver.

"Archie!!! Arch----???" Lexie ran over to her husband hanging upside down, "Oh dear, what are you doing hanging upside down like that?"

"Oh just proving my love for the forest…" He joked, as he shivered some more.

"Ye're lucky they didn't tar and feather ya! This was McBain and Appleby's wasn't it? Oh Arch! Are ya all right?" Lexie muttered and cursed as Susan began to climb the tree after slipping on mountain climbing shoes, which were two sizes to big, strapping on a helmet on her head and then the climbing harness around her waist…Lexie found Archie's penknife and handed it to Susan. "We've got to get him down!"

"I---'m ffffine," Archie stuttered again…as his ankles were starting to ache…he had been hanging for a good fifteen minutes now…

Susan managed to scoot herself up the tree after wrapping the climbing rope around its trunk. She kept hiking her body up and digging her feet into the bark, stepping on branches as her hands got closer to the tied up rope which was attached to the dangling laird. Susan then steadied herself as she tried to cut Archie down, her footing slipped and she lost her grip on knife…before becoming entangled in the climbing rope, tree branches, and found herself dangling from the tree, "Lexie, get Golly or Paul or someone…I am stuck! There's no way I'm gonna get Archie down like this!"

Lexie even though she didn't want to leave Archie or Susan, bolted down the trail and found her self climbing into the Wild Life Truck since she had her keys in her pocket and driving back to the estate.


	3. Parts 7 thru 9

**Chapter Seven---Rescued! Double Rescue! ****J**

Lexie zipped back to the estate, as she climbed out of Susan's car and started screaming for Golly, Paul or anyone nearby. She latched her hands onto a ladder and tried to put it in the truck, Golly came running out… "Lex?"

"GOLLY! We got to get Arch down! He's in a tree suspended upside down! Hurry! Hurry!" Lexie scampered into the workshop and snatched a saw. Golly and Lexie climbed into the truck just as Paul was walking out from the house…

"What's goin' on?"

"Archie's hanging upside down from a tree and Susan's stuck up it with your climbing gear on!" Lexie shouted to Paul…

"I'm coming!" Paul replied back.

"Dad?" Nigel yelled out as he stood beside Megan and the twins in a double stroller and Minnie in a pram. Nigel was pushing Minnie's pram as Megan was pushing the twins in their stroller.

"Stay here Nigel!!" Paul shouted back as he climbed into the back of the truck.

"What's going on?" Nigel hollered out as the rescue team drove off down the drive in a quick hurry, leaving him standing there with Megan and the twins and Minnie.

Moments upon moments later, Susan hung to the tree and tried to talk to Archie…hoping to keep him conscious…

"Archie…"

"Hmmmm," He fluctuated into and out of a comatose state as the blood rushed to his head and closing his eyes was the only thing keeping him from becoming really dizzy.

"Don't fall asleep…they'll be here soon, Archie…" Susan tried to keep him making sounds, Archie stuttered out with his eyes closed, "I'mmmm hanging upside down…it hurts myyyyy legs…I can just barely feeeeeeeeeeel my feet…"

"I know. I know…oh good lord, sorry Archie, just hang tight, help's on the way…" Susan replied, about ten minutes passed…then about ten more until…

"Susan! Archie! Oh crickety!" Lexie yelled out, as Golly and Paul followed behind her with the ladder and the saw…

"Support Archie's body, take the strain off his legs and feet!" Golly demanded as Lexie and he tried to steady Archie. Paul placed the ladder on the ground, before asking Susan, with a slight smile, "What are you doing up there, my damsel in distress?"

"What does it look like I'm doing? I tried to get Archie down and I got stuck!" Susan added, getting irritated at being wrapped around a tree and caught up in climbing ropes. Susan hung there with the climbing harness connected to the ropes being the only thing keeping her from falling to the ground. Paul laughed at how cute she looked at the moment with the oversized helmet hanging off her head, "I'm coming, just latch yer body on, Suz."

Susan grabbed hold of the ladder as Paul climbed up and spoke again, "Here," as he handed her his penknife, and climbed back down again. Susan, now on the ladder with a firm grip, cut the climbing ropes while Paul then helped steady the ladder so Susan could climb down. When Susan was free and down from the tree, she steadied the ladder at the bottom for Paul as he climbed up again with the saw, "Hang steady, Arch!" Paul cut into the rope knots with a saw as Golly and Lexie who both had a stead grip on Archie helped lower him to the ground while Paul inched the ropes lower and lower until Archie was standing right side up.

_Archie spoke low and weakly, "Thanks," just as he fainted from his light head and headache…_

"Archie!" Lexie called out to him as he fell to the ground in a heap. Golly and Lexie then arm carried Archie back to the truck. Susan looked down at the ground as she plucked up Archie's fallen belongings, his keys, his penknife where it dropped last, and his wallet, anything that had been in his pockets and also snatched the map. Susan helped Paul carry the ladder back to the Wild Life Truck as Lexie and Golly with a faint Archie drove Susan's car back to the estate…

Archie woke up in bed as a sleeping Lexie had cuddled herself to his side. He found himself placing his arms around her, relieved to be home.

_As the music at the banquet_

_As the wine before the meal_

_As the firelight in the night_

_So are you to me_

_As the ruby in the setting_

_As the fruit upon the tree_

_As the wind blows over the plain_

_So are you to me_

_As the wind blows over the plain_

_So are you to me_

_So are you to me_

Lexie stirred as she rubbed her nose with her hand and lifted her head upwards to peer into his dark eyes, "Arch?" she whispered as he whispered back, after placing a kiss on her temple, "Yes?"

"You're all right?"

"Lex, I am. I am happy to report no backache…it's a miracle what hanging upside down for awhile does for an achy backside," Archie replied…

"Inversion Therapy, the hills way?" Lexie punned, as she smiled, only for her sweet dear husband to grin back at her.

"I suppose Hippocrates, father of good old medicine, from 400BC knew what he was doing when he strung up a patient on a ladder using pullies and letting gravity take over?"

"He certainly didn't have Ferguson McBain and the Appleby boys for assistants that's for sure," Lexie grumbled and struggled to sit up, "I catch 'em any 'ere near de estate 'ere will be hll to pay. Understood?---I'll be doin' some Inversion Therapy of me own an' it won't be pretty!"

"Now Lex, it's not worth being fuddled about."

"Arch, they could've killed you! Yanno…" Lexie replied outspoken as Archie tried to calm her by rubbing her shoulder with his hand and wanted her to lie down beside him again but she continued to sit up.

"And they didn't do it. They precisely wanted answers that I couldn't give, Lex. We still haven't figured out the 40,000 pounds we owe to counsel—we need that grant renewed for that forest, which I know we own---we have to own it…and you said so yourself years ago, after going on strike as the housekeeper, remember? That I have a duty as laird to the people of Glenbogle first and not the governing party…but I can not help my people…"

"Arch, that was a long time ago that quarrel…I say you stiff McBain and Applebys with a bill for sufferin' and damages of 40,000 pounds! See how they like that there slapper!" Lexie gave a definite nod of her head as her husband peered up at her again. "What, Mr. Sweet and Innocent?"

"Oh no, nothing, welcome back, my lovely wife," Archie smiled, as he had missed her feisty tongue before she had started feeling under the weather.

"What?" Lexie peered up at Archie puzzled.

"Lex, are you sure you're feeling all right?"

"I'm fine." Lexie retorted, before realizing she had become quite moody and tired in the past couple weeks, "Oh flipper."

"Lexie," Archie arched a brow at his wife, trying to calm her down as Lexie gave into his embrace and lay back down again with him, under their pink comforter and other blankets.

"Been a wee bitta out of it, meself, aye?"

"Yes, just a teensy-weensy bit," Archie held his fingers up in the air, just inches apart to show, 'teensy-weensy' bit before Lexie captured his hand with hers.

"I'm dandy, Arch, just dandy knowing you're near…safe an' sound—you mean the world, moon, sun and the stars to me," As Lexie tried to reassure her husband with a speedy kiss before he could reply, while her mind shifted onto a new thought, '_if I'm moody, ill, and snappin' like a regular snappy tortoise, then mebbe I'm carryin' somethin' 'round wit me…I was like this wit Jayne an' Wayne-wasn't I?…nah, I can't be_…' _As Lexie tried to push the thought out of her head while physically the 'bean' continued to grow magically inside of Lexie, and not into a vine…_

Nigel opened up his backpack, before placing his comic books on the nightstand beside the twin bed in his grandfather's old bedroom. He looked around the room and then the old creaky wood floor before noticing a golf ball on the floor…

"What you lookin' fer son?" A voice called out to Nigel as he was half way under the bed trying to retrieve the golf ball. Nigel looked up and beamed at Golly.

"This."

"Ah, one of Hector's many golf balls, they've habit of turnin' up in places when ya least expect 'em," Nigel gave Golly the golf ball as he handed it back to him, "Ye keep it."

"Okay," Nigel nodded his head, "Golly."

"Aye son?"

"What does Golly stand for?" Nigel's face tipped up to look at him. Golly rested an arm on his shoulder and sat him down.

"Nothing, it's me name," Golly commented as he left out it was a 'town' nickname for an incident he had with a woman from a rave that couldn't be discussed with an eleven year old!

"I don't have a grandfather…" Nigel started to open up as Golly knew he would eventually want to talk about Hector and what he was like.

"Yea, ya do, son."

"I mean Poppa Hector is a ghost as Uncle Archie explained him…"

"He was a real person once…" Golly could see a slight resemblance of Hector in Nigel's face.

"Golly do you have a grandfather?"

"I did," Golly gave a silent nod of the head, while looking down at Nigel, as they both sat down beside each other on the twin bed.

"What was he like?"

"My grandfather or yours?" Golly knew one day Hector's grandchildren were going to ask questions about what his best friend and long time boss was like…now he braced himself, relaxed, raised his brows and started to tell, "Hector, Poppa Hector, was an average fisherman, lousy golfer, loved dogs, just like you and 'em rabbits that ye've a soft spot in yer heart fer…he loved everything imaginable about the hills."

"Really? Did he love my grandmother?" Nigel asked, which put Golly on spot, but he took his answer in stride.

"He created yer father…" _Golly didn't want to answer any 'too close for comfort' questions about Hector's love for someone other than Molly… _

"Molly's not my grandma—why?"

"Nigel, lets just stick to the basics, aye? Yer Mum and Da, decide it's the right time to tell you more, aye?"

Nigel quieted down in his own band of thoughts.

"He was a wonderful gent, Nigel, he'd be proud of you fer movin' into his room," Golly decided he couldn't let the conversation end just yet, "I don't've a grandson, 'anno."

"No?" Nigel's mouth actually dropped, as he was astonished to hear this news, "You should! You'd make a cool Grand Da!"

"Ye think?"

"I know so."

"Mebbe, one day, I will 'ave one…" Golly winked as Nigel smiled, "Maybe so."

Susan appeared at the door as she listened in on Nigel and Golly's conversation with a smile as she wanted to help him unpack some boxes so she could get more stuff from their flat in the morning, "Nye. Golly."

"Susan," Golly gave a nod of his head and smiled.

"We need to unpack."

"I'm good Mum." Nigel spoke up, before Golly stood up from the bed.

"I'll leave yas to it," Golly wandered out of the room.

"Well, lets settle you," Susan sighed as she opened a couple boxes, one of the boxes was mislabeled as she opened it up it was to her office top desk drawer…her hand opened the box as her eyes traced over the black ring box once again.

"Mum?''

"Wrong box, wrong place, Nye, I've to move it. I'll be right back…"

"Mum?"

"Yeah."

"What about Christmas?" Nigel asked remembering it was just three days away…

"Nigel, we'll have it here with your Dad, Aunt Lexie, Uncle Archie…"

"Golly, Molly and Aunt Lizzie? My cousins?"

"Yes."

"What about Aunt Claire?"

"Don't worry she'll be here…and I'm sure 'MacNicholas' will still find you on Hogmanay…"

"I don't believe in Father Christmas…I'm too old for him." Nigel replied as Susan laughed, "You sound like your father and him _not believing_ in things…" Susan then voyaged out of the bedroom leaving Nigel to finish unpacking his belongings by himself.

Paul was about to knock on Archie and Lexie's door to their bedroom. He didn't want to disturb them, but he just wanted to be sure that Archie was okay since the whole tree fiasco. Archie opened the door, just as Paul's hand was about to connect to the wood, Archie with a smile spoke up, "Paul?"

"Yea, checking to see you're well."

"Yeah, I am. Look Paul, we need to have a word, about the lot business…I should have told you about that impromptu meeting… "

"Well, I haven't exactly been focused on estate matters, have I?"

"No, but it's not the point, I should have been honest with you from the get go about the whole issue, especially since we're supposed to run the place together."

"Arch, no harm done. Just the next order of business with lot 110536, you should tell me about," Paul added giving him the benefit of the doubt, "Now about getting that Christmas tree which no one has seemed to think of yet."

"Christmas tree, sorry, least of the worries…I'm not in a Christmas mood, I guess," Archie replied solemnly.

Lexie walked up behind Archie as they then joined Paul out into the hall. "And why not Mr. Laird? Why aren't you into Christmas? It's only three days away!" Lexie teased as she then spoke to Paul, "Susan's father came here earlier, dun't s'pose he should be comin' for Christmas Eve festivities, like the Yule log ceremony?"

"Susan's father? You sure?" Paul stood there, sensing trouble if Susan's father had showed up in Glenbogle and decided he needed to speak with her since she never breathed a word of it to him. Paul had his own unresolved issues with that man, most of them weren't pretty.

"Yeah, she was a bit riled up about it. I came to her aide in the drive apparently he had come to meet with you, Arch."

"Me? I don't know Susan's father, why?"

"I dun no…just thought I'd tell you he's thinking about showing up back here again tomorrow…" as they then heard a loud thud and Nigel's yelling from his new bedroom…and saw Susan running in Nigel's direction.

Susan wandered into Molly's room where she had set up her office at a desk in the far corner. Susan set the box on the desk chair and opened it. She started to unpack the contents and shoved the ring box into the top desk drawer with a thought, '_I've got to send this along…back to Henry.'_ Susan was distracted by a loud horrendous yell and a huge thud as she ran out of the bedroom and back into Nigel's.

"Nigel? What on earth?" Susan glanced at him, as he was down on the floor where he snagged his foot on a golf ball which bizarrely appeared out of no where and also tripped over one of the floor boards which hid an old safe.

"I tripped meself on that golf ball!" Nigel clutched his left foot, rubbed his throbbing knee, as Paul showed up at the door, "What's going on?"

"Nigel tripped that's all, and on---?"

"What looks like Hector's private safe," Lexie replied as Archie and Lexie joined Paul in the door way, Lexie shouted aloud, "Of course! Why didn't I think of this before?"

"Think of what?" Archie stood there scratching his head and glancing at his wife

"The solution to the land grant renewal matter Archie! Hector is tryin' to tell us something wit golf balls!"

"Oh good lord, Lexie, you're as bad as Mother and believing you're seeing things! Father's just a ghost---" Archie added, before realizing what he had said as his wife shot a fiery look at him and he replied quietly with a gulp, "Sorry."

"Ye saw that ghost!" Lexie accused as she remembered that Archie had seen his father one night right after he had died. Hector had placed a rose on his bedside table and kissed his son's forehead as away to make peace with him from the beyond…Archie shrugged his shoulders and replied,

"Fine, fine…"

"Bad as Molly?" Paul asked in a bit of confusion…

"Molly's constantly picking up Hector's golf balls around the house and estate grounds…an' for yer information, Archibald, this safe holds the check books for---?"

"GRACE." Archie added, remembering the whole conversation about Golly's health, and securing him a future at Glenbogle Estate---which is how they built the cabins in the first place, one for Golly and one for Duncan to live in, which had burned down recently, "The book that had the map in The Vault was an old accounting book from 1975…"

"1975 is thirty years from now," Lexie added smartly while doing the math in her head.

"Aye, Glenbogle Residence and Astounds Care Expenses… Hector set up an account years ago, even when the estate was in trouble he would put money into it. Grace is a charitable trust so no body can touch it. They could take every penny the MacDonald's had but they can't touch Grace," Lexie paraphrased Molly's words from a conversation not so long ago.

"Let's check the safe for documentation…" Archie shrugged, "What's the combination?"

Lexie stood there with a big ear to ear grin on her face, "110536,"

"Father's first day ever to catch a trout from the loch!" Archie exclaimed as he knew his father's life trivia quite well, "And the lot number?"

"Looks as if its so…" Paul gave a nod of his head, as Archie bent down and put the combination into the safe, turning the dial four times to the right on 11, three times to the left on 5, two times to the right on 3 then one last time back to the left on 6 before the safe cracked open.

Archie tugged out the stack of Molly's old love letters from Hector when he was in the Army, _a blue velvet satchel that had content that was unknown_, many old checkbooks with receipts to GRACE and then at the very bottom of the safe sat a deed, as Archie's hands picked up the brown billfold and pulled out the paper work…"

Archie read down the deed as Lexie glanced at him and implored, "So whad does it say?"

"Lot 110536, which had been named by father, belongs to GRACE, which means the lot can't be sold, or built on without the trustee's permission, which would be the land ordinance for maintaining the acreage by planting trees, supporting wild life, and etc that father had gotten a grant for…he put every penny into Grace and supposeofly they could take the estate but not Grace as in money—charitable trust or as in land, which is…"

"The old forest of Glenbogle," Lexie replied, remembering what Golly had said out in the driveway.

"There's about roughly 500 acres set for the forest and it looks as if our great grandfather Paul owned the land and passed it down to father, just like the other 34,000 and half acres, and he made sure,"

"It stayed as GRACE," Susan peeped as she nodded silently. Susan had her father on her mind, hoping he wasn't coming back to state any claim on that land or her life. Her forehead wrinkled and worry swept over her face as she walked out of the room.

Molly found Paul and Archie leaving the study as Archie replied, "Mother,"

"Golly said you had to see me?"

"Ah, yes…" Paul held out the blue velvet satchel showing to Molly. Archie began, "We found this bit in father's safe."

"Can you tell us about it?" Paul quipped, finishing Archie's thought. Molly's dazzled face lit right up, "My, I haven't seen that in so long. Oh yes, come along you two." Molly accepted the satchel from Paul and journeyed into another sitting room off the study. Molly smiled as she did a hand gesture towards the table for Paul and Archie to sit down, before saying, "Your father loved the Amazon. He loved South America in general and also Columbia decades ago…"

Archie and Paul watched Molly closely as she searched for a photo album on a shelf, "Now I know it's here some where! There it is!"

Molly grabbed the big bulky gold and maroon bind book and then sat down with them both at the table, "There he is, my quite young dashingly handsome fellow…"

Molly's smile and fingers pointed out Hector in a mining cave somewhere in Columbia as she then opened the blue velvet satchel and poured out few tiny green gems.

"Emeralds?" Paul quipped as he glanced at Archie.

"The healing kind," Molly beamed, "He brought them back and made me an 'eternal love' ring with one of them---suppose the both of you might find something to do with one or two of them one day?" Molly winked as she hinted to Paul and Archie giving something special for a gift to their love ones…Lexie and Susan.

So You Are To Me by Eastmountainsouth

**Chapter Eight…Stand by your man**

That night, Susan sat at the desk as she had set up her computer and began typing, she was trying to keep her mind off of everything having to do with her father…Paul entered the room as his eyes set on her at the computer, while Useless lie at her feet.

"I'm guessin' the dog is playin' favorites now?" Paul remarked as Useless normally cuddled himself to Paul at night.

"Oh, maybe," Susan shrugged, as her eyes never left the computer screen.

"Hi," Paul leaned in for his lips to brush her cheek.

"Hi, you okay?"

"Yea, Minnie just needed a night bottle."

"Oh yea, I took care of her earlier," Susan nodded as Paul gave her a sideways glance, "You?"

"Yes, Lexie needed help, you need a break from helping move boxes and that driving back and forth from Inverness so we both sided on and so Minnie took a bottle of warm milk from me," Susan smiled as she looked up at Paul.

"There's a lot about Minnie you don't know, Susan."

"I know Lili's her mummy and I know her father is off finding himself."

"She's grown attached to me."

"Lexie mentioned that yes, but she's a wee baby, they do that sort of thing," Susan replied as Paul found himself wandering to the dresser to put out his next days clothes…

"It's just she wouldn't take the bottle from anyone but me the other day…"

"Right, well, beginner's luck or I'm the lucky lass since I'm new," Susan nodded her head and turned to watch Paul pull out his clothes from a drawer and close it, as she then gave a sigh, "You need to stop smoking those things…"

She nodded her head at the pack of fags that came out of his pants pocket, which he placed into his new pair of pants. He gave a disgruntled moan and walked over to her, dropping the pack into Susan's lap, "There was a time when the old Susan used to smoke those with me!"

"The new Susan used smoke, but she gave it up eons ago…"

"Since when?"

"Since I found out about havin' your son for starters! Remember I kept turning green when you'd smoke near me or when I'd join you…"

"And here I thought it was my cooking."

"No, not ye're absent cooking…" Susan teased as Paul gave her a look and added with a laugh, "I can cook us something healthy now, you know…"

"It's hard, you know, imaging everything different…you missed out on a lot with Nigel, didn't you?" Susan's face fell while Paul grew silent and spoke quietly, "I did, but I can make up for it now."

"That's true…except there's no more children with your age," Susan razzed Paul and got a reaction of, "What does that exactly imply?"

"Well, you're pushing over the hill…"

"I am not."

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not, and you know, I could have another one very easy…" Paul chuckled and smiled as he had thought about another child with Susan two days ago but didn't bring it up to her because they had just gotten back together.

"Oh very easy?" Susan retorted and blinked, "You try carrying around a bowling ball for nine months, dealing with pains that-oh gee, hurt like a dickens, and tell me how!"

"No, I could help create one…" Paul remarked and Susan grew quiet next and changed the subject, "Back to you not smoking, and don't change the subject!"

"I didn't change the subject, you did!" Paul laughed as Susan rolled her eyes and groaned, then smiled...

"Anyway when I moved to London and accepted that job at the paper, I was always puffing away on those dreadful smokes…amazing enough, I moved back here two months ago and I haven't had any cravings since then…"

"Lucky you."

"Yes, lucky me. Stress, Pauly brought it on and when I unstressed it took that feeling for them away. I didn't need them, just like you don't."

Paul muttered again, "I dun no what I'm going to do with you…"

"You're going to let me help you kick that nasty habit for beginners," Susan winked and laughed, as Paul finally gave in, "All right, however, I'll need encouragement…"

"What kind of encouragement?" Susan's brows rose before she stood up from the desk chair and found herself tackled onto the bed again by Paul.

"I got many ways of going 'bout it…" Paul laughed before giving her a deep live-wired kiss.

Susan laughed again, "So every time you get a fag cravin' we do this?"

"Ah huh," Paul beamed as he pulled Susan closer to him while they lie neck high in bed blankets.

"I see, I guess I was wrong about the new Paul…"

"What 'bout?"

"The new and old Paul loves me just the same?" Susan eyed him while rolling herself on top of him. Paul wrapped his arms around her and peered into her blue eyes which lead to the sea of her soul. _Paul wanted to hear the words about her loving him...she did still love him?_

"Yes, of course. I do, only more."

"Good, I'm in need of a bathroom, be right back." Susan announced, as she left Paul's side, leaving him there pondering their chat about children. Paul got up and decided to save Susan's work and switch off her pc. He pulled out the desk chair where Susan had been working as he sat down without looking, on her paperwork. Paul's eyes scanned Susan's notes, '_Number for The Globe, needs scoop on land owner who wants to build a low income housing area in the Glenbogle woods…follow up to article…' His face then gave away a serious gaze, what was Susan writing about for The Globe? I thought she was done with them?_ Paul then got away from the PC as Susan entered the room, "You all right?"

"I'm fine…beddie bye time, Suzy, switchin' off the light." Paul's hand turned off the desk light and Susan turned off her PC, while Paul pondered on about Susan's latest article…_without talking to her about it._

The next morning, on Friday, a rental limo showed up at the Glenbogle House, as Archie, Paul, and Susan were unloading another truck load of Susan and Nigel's things from their flat over in Inverness. Golly was on a ladder finishing the Christmas decorations, and fixing the wreath on the doors. Susan noticed the car hire from yesterday, as her face grew serious as she froze with her mind scrambling out, _'Not again'._

Paul didn't catch Susan's look until after…

"Who's that---Er-lord…" Paul added dumbfounded and agitated when he noticed the familiar short, stubby, and anything but wholesome, cowboy climb out of the back of the car.

"Sugar plum dumplin', we meet again! And you must be the Laird of Glenbogle," As the Texas twang reeked from Susan's father's voice as he held out a hand to shake Archie's who took it and gave him an absurdly blank stare while posing a question of,

"Yes…and you are?"

"Mr. Higgins, but yah, can call me Mr. Anthony, which works back home. I stopped in yesterday to discuss the land that was under contract by rights of the town counsel realtor. Normally, I don't discuss business outside, have a minute?"

"You're mistaken, Mr. Anthony." Archie began to explain, knowing he'd come face to face with the Mr. 'X' sooner or later about the old forest acreage, "But my land was never for sale."

"According to my documents, it was never your land," Mr. Anthony pulled out documentation and then letter from Town Counsel and Forestry Commission.

"Yes, well, it belongs to GRACE, which I am the trustee of it," Archie stated firmly as Susan became increasingly uncomfortable…remembering her ground breaking story which was a follow-up to her recent article, which won the award on Highland Economy."

"Actually, not according to my paper work or the village counsel and I own it now via that auction the other day,"

"They couldn't have auctioned the land off so soon!" Archie replied, just as Mr. Higgins nodded his head and then turned his attention to Susan, "They did. Right darlin'?"

Susan shifted her feet, as Archie glanced at her wondering what on earth her father was talking about…

"Look, the land belongs to Archie…" Susan spoke up in Archie's defense.

"I read that article, Sugar Plum…" Her father started as Susan was cut off, "Actually I was sent a copy from a boyfriend of yours…actually, come to think of it, you were writing another article on my development of housing for the less fortunate for the area too?"

Susan spoke up before Paul or Archie could further comment, "I wrote an article on Highland Economy yes, I never made a note of you…so don't twist this and toss me into any kind of foul play you have in your head!"

"The new article you're writing is about me…Henry explained it so…hence for using, Mr. 'X' since you and I have such bad blood between us…"

"It won't come clean!" Susan snapped.

"Oh hush, Susan," Her father replied slyly.

"I knew Susan's writing an article on _you_. There is absolutely _no way_ you're going to belittle her…" Paul was cut off by Susan's father next.

"You know Paul, years and years ago, I gave you an offer to leave well enough alone with my daughter…your mother was one fine thing, however, raising a bastard like you…"

"Leave my mother's good name alone, you lousy crickety sorry excuse for a pansy! It wasn't an offer. It was a bribe!" Paul snickered, as Archie watched the history between Paul and Susan's father replay before him.

"I told you time and time again to stay away from her. She got a good career chosen and a good life path, without having you scuff it all up. Instead, what you do, knock up my daughter and destroy her possibilities of giving me a 'suitable' heir to my oil millions--- you should have taken the money and your way out when you had the chance. However, now, she's got someone worth marrying and she's living here—and full of it with you?"

"You're a twofaced---?" Susan watched Paul blow up, which made her reach out for him.

"Paul, it's not worth it," Susan replied, trying to cut him off from giving her father the satisfaction of causing rift between them again. "How dare you accuse Nigel of not being suitable? You don't even know him! He's your grandson!"

"You left making it perfectly clear that he wasn't, nor were you my daughter!" Susan's father accused before concluding, "At my land closing tonight around 6 at the Village Hall, you'll know, that I'm building my affordable living housing project and we'll be neighbors so best to start being neighborly! Mortimer, start the engine, we're going…" Susan's father then doubled back at his daughter, "One more thing, I gave that boyfriend of yours, Henry, permission to marry you since…you still have his ring. And he said you'd be getting that award sooner or later!"

Mr. Higgins climbed into the car and it drove off, down the dusty lane, towards the main road. Susan who was now completely at war with herself ran into the house and past Golly who was awestruck at the bottom of the ladder. Archie stood there with a dignified answer to the situation Susan's father just presented to him, "No worries, he can't touch the woods according to my documents and his closing won't happen tonight, we'll show up at 6."

"I'm not worried about land anymore," Paul found himself going after Susan, because he wanted answers about her new article _(the notes he had found near her computer last night)_ and why she was continuing to work for the Globe and more about the ring…_amongst other things: sharing a home and love with him._

"Susan?" Lexie replied surprised as Susan made a mad dash into the kitchen, completely unaware of Lexie, as she noticed Susan pulling out the packet of smokes, grabbing the meat cleaver that Lexie had been using on the counter and then proceeding to chopping up some of Paul's fags with the Boucher's knife…Susan pulled out more cigarettes from the packet on the countertop.

Susan stood there, her own anger buried deep inside of her. She had been meaning to destroy Paul's fags earlier and now she felt it was the perfect time to do so… as she swung the meat cleaver down on three defenseless smoke sticks…splitting them in two like using an axe to chop wood for a fire.

Lexie's eyes widened, "What are you doing?"

"Preventing anything else from ruining my life!" Susan slammed the cleaver down again…

"Okay, let's just back up a wee bit, what did the fags do to you, just by chance?" Lexie wasn't sure of what Susan was going to do with the meat chopper next, as she had never seen Susan act this way. Instead Susan dropped the cleaver into the sink, threw away the mashed fags into the garbage and pulled the last smoke one out of the packet… before replying to Lexie, "Matches please. I need matches, Lexie!"

Lexie complied and handed her a matchbox that she had used to light up the range for boiling her water as Susan bolted out the back of the kitchen, and actually lit up the fag on the back stoop. Lexie stood there wide eyed, "Since when do you puff on those?"

"At the moment it seems like a smashing choice!"

"Ye smashed what ya could in 'ere…Golly, should have ye help 'em wit the wood pile every spring…I bet ye'd get a lot done wit an axe…" Lexie replied soundly and joked after witnessing her chip pity chop up the package of cigarettes with her meat cleaver.

"Sorry."

"No bother, I'd puff on those too…however, I dun't anymore, not since I moved in at Glenbogle."

"I puffed years ago…now, I'm---?"

"Hang on, lemme get ye wee somethin' to go with…" Lexie shrugged, after she went into the house and came back out with one of Molly's stashed Tequila bottles, from when she lived at the house and needed it as a confidence boost. Lexie decided Susan needed the ego boost and comfort…

"Grand idea," as Susan handed the fag over to Lexie who waved her hand in her face, wafting the smoke away…and watched Susan open the bottle top, and slug the stuff down…

"Easy killa," Lexie added with a laugh while handing the fag back over to Susan…she was starting to feel ill to her stomach as she watched Susan, puff away and slug the liquor down…

"Thanks," Susan gasped, then continued to drink and made a remark, "Dun worry, I could drink Pauly under the table years and years ago. I bet I still could too."

"Luck no wormy in 'ere…_Pauly_?" Lexie let out a laugh at the childhood name for her brother in law.

"Of course, he'd sky rocket to the moon after drinking whiskey!"

"I know about the whiskey…" Lexie joked, _remembering when Paul had drank whiskey the night of her cousin's funeral after going to the pub with Archie and Duncan._ Lexie noticed Susan had drunk a quarter of the bottle with in a moment's time and wasn't buzzing, "Mind telling me what's rattling on in your head like a rattlesnake?"

"My father is the most inexcusable…"

"Father troubles, aye? I knitted them!" Lexie took the Tequila from Susan and had slug too…knowing what it was like to have father troubles…as Lexie hadn't seen her father since she was a child… Meanwhile, Paul arrived outside of the doorway as he listened in on everything Lexie and Susan were saying as first he wanted to interrupt them, but decided against it.

"Yes."

"I reckons yer Da didn't leave you young?"

"Aye, he did…however, he's just been here and I'm ready to---!"

"Toss in a tea towel, why?"

"I was in amidst of writing another article. My last one for The Globe, Lexie, I'm sorry, but I had no idea it was to be on my father. The bubblehead has money coming out from every corner because of his 'inheritance' of oil fields in Texas! However, instead he's here trying to buy his way into the hearts of people! I dun no what's worse him getting the paper to have me write another article on only him…"

"Just plain using you?"

"Or to get at me via riling up Paul…my father, years ago, gave Paul a 'write off' and he simply said, Paul's not worth it, never was, never would be and that he took his money---the man lied to me, because well I didn't believe Paul would do it but he threw his check book at my face and made me see he had written the check out to him and well anyway I disowned him. I felt betrayed especially at him for helping drive a bigger wedge between Paul and me—but I left Paul on my own accord because I felt I had too—he needed this sense of home and I wasn't sure we could create it. I couldn't exactly give him false hope back then, could I? _No, I couldn't_. My father kept thinking I'll be back since I'd need money…I went out on my own, got my own job with that paper and now he's mettlesome again and because Henry called him---can you believe it?! I'm sure Henry had no clue that my father tried to buy Paul off because he felt Paul was going to frig up my life—which is a crock of it!"

"Does he know about Nigel?"

"Yea, I was pregnant with Nigel when the whole situation erupted because my father didn't approve of Paul as a father. He saw him as useless and coming from nothing…which didn't matter to me and still doesn't! My father hated the fact that we were living, breathing the same air, or walking on the same planet! My mother, no wonder why she never married him, as she was so smart! I once I told my father I didn't want anything to do with him or the money. I made sure no one could tell my father where Nigel and I were, up until…"

"Now?"

"Yea, now. I still have the damn engagement ring…I'm ready to shove it up Henry's---?" as Susan blew out an exasperated breath and concluded, "Donkey!"

**Chapter Nine---Prelude **

Paul finally joined Susan and Lexie sitting on the stoop of the kitchen back door as he had been listening to everything Susan had said about their current situation and explaining where she stood. Lexie who was now starting to turn green from smelling the lit fag, decided to stand up, "I need a minute."

"You okay?" Susan asked Lexie quickly sensing Lexie feeling not well.

"Feelin' ye ill again…" as Lexie retreated into the house quickly as possible…

"What are you doing?" Paul sat himself down beside Susan on the old stone stoop as he witnessed her sitting with a half drunk Tequila bottle and a lit up fag, confusion arose in himself more as the Susan-- new and old-- never drank hard liquor at that time of day.

"What does it look like?"

"Susan, I'm not upset with you…"

"Great, then just get in line…" assuming Paul was upset and not hearing a word that he wasn't…

"Why?" Paul tossed her a baffled glance.

"I'm havin' a row with myself more than anything else. This is why I needed to get away from the paper—that's why I quit, but Henry talked me back into it months ago until he found a 'suitable' replacement reporter—

"_I thought I was done with it, until I got a call from Henry asking me about writing this article. I lied to you about not hearing from Henry after him being here days ago. I'm sorry about it, so sorry---he didn't ask me about the ring, he didn't talk to me about coming up here---it was just this work thing, an article, which would have been on this Mr. 'X'. I had no idea it was on my stupid father---I only accepted to write it days ago because you and I weren't on speaking terms and I needed to make sure everything financially was covered for Nye and I---it was a strict money thing… I didn't mean to keep anything from you. I told Henry I wanted to be done with the paper after this article…_

_"I'm unemployed once I figure out how to get rid of Henry, _the stupid articles, and the annoying posh imbeciles who seem to think its okay to laugh me while I put my back out trying to make them look oh so joyously glorious…and when I get that award, Paul, I want to just burn the damn thing or toss it in the loch!"

"Susan, your father isn't going to ruin anything we've built for the past week and half…or what we had eleven years ago or all of our lives… _I told you I'd help. You shouldn't have to look to Henry for that kind of help…_" Paul thought more about her insecurities about building a sense of 'home' for them. _Paul wanted a place to call home and a family all of his life, even when growing up with Susan and his mother. Susan still signifies a possible 'home,' possible family, even eleven years later, and he had to figure out how to convince her of it._

"I'm really sorry, Paul. Good to know you're here, however, I'll ruin it myself somehow again…wait, I already did by holding onto the ring, oh, Paul, sorry, I meant to send it back to Henry but with this moving? Suppose I should move back to Inverness? I can see it. You want me too, don't you?" Susan's body started to feel the affects of the alcohol as she bumbled on like a chatty Cathy when she was, old Susan, could liquor and talk your ear off like a speed demon…Paul just shook his head and snagged the almost burned down to the filter fag from Susan's fingers and stomped it out with his boot, "No, you're being silly, Suzy. Stressed? Let's not puff on that again? What happened to the Suzy who quit successfully smoking?"

"I needed it."

"No you don't, what happened to my craving helper?"

"Okay, so maybe not…"

"Lemme have that too…" Paul took the half drank bottle away and poured it out onto the ground and put the empty to aside.

"I needed that as well…"

"Not at two in the afternoon, you don't."

"Okay, maybe not. How did you know I was writing that article?"

"I found your notes last night actually I was going to switch off your PC and anyway... I know you're between two rock walls, Susan and your hands tied, and I understand why you took on the article, all right? I can't say I wouldn't have done deliberately same simpleton thing if I were in your shoes. We're talking now…there's no reason to continue working for that paper."

"Oh."

"I'm not upset about the blasted ring. I'll deliver it to Henry if need be, unless… _talk to me_."

_find me here __  
__speak to me _  
_i want to feel you _  
_i need to hear you _  
_you are the light _  
_that is leading me _  
_to the place where _  
_i find peace again _

"Talk to you about what? How messed up everything is? This whole land thing wouldn't have happened with my father if Henry hadn't called him asking for a hand in marriage and making note of that stupid award!"

"Forget 'bout your father, I'm more for this idea of creating a 'home'…"

"He's just looking for a peep hole and trying to get a low blow in…" Susan continued to talk without noting Paul's concern for creating a 'home' for them.

"Okay, maybe…"

"Paul, he could take Nigel away…then where's the sense of home?"

"It won't happen, promise," Paul draped an arm around her and gave her a loving squeeze.

_you are the strength __  
__that keeps me walking _  
_you are the hope _  
_that keeps me trusting _  
_you are the life to my soul _

"I hope not…Paul…I'm sorry about keeping the ring…I just…"

"If you got doubts…"

"No, I'm not."

"Then don't worry about the ring, it'll go first class to Henry or he'll go air post to the moon with it."

"Why are you being so understanding? The old Pauly would be flipping out at me by now?"

"Susan it doesn't help if I'm angry, nor you, it only hurts us both. If you mean what you say, then there's no harm done to us, besides I heard you were planning on shoving it right up---?"

"Henry's donkey?" Susan realized Paul had been listening to everything she had told Lexie, even the part of not being sure she could create a 'home' with him years ago. "Paul it was years ago about being afraid to create a home with you. I just didn't want it to get…"

_  
__you are my purpose  
you are everything  
and how can i  
stand here with you  
and not be moved by you  
would you tell me  
how could it be  
any better than this _

Paul gave a laugh, "Shattered? Suz, my whole life has been in pieces, you would've just helped keepin' 'em glued together. I've wanted a family and a home for as long as I could remember—we used to chat on about it as kids, you and me. Archie offered me this place as a home, gave me a job, and well, some sense of family—since I came in search of getting to know my father. But it's not---?"

"Enough?"

"Suz, it's not enough, because I found out about Nigel and I'm thrilled you're both back in my life. I want the home and the family with you."

_you calm the storms __  
__you give me rest _  
_you hold me in your hands _  
_you won't let me fall _  
_you still my heart _  
_and you take my breath away _  
_would you take me in _  
_would you take me deeper now _  
_'cause you're all i want _  
_you are all i need _  
_you are everything _  
_everything_

Susan froze and replied, "That's it."

"What's it?"

"I have figured out how to get rid of my father! You're a genius, Paul!" Susan gave him a big smooch, stood up and ran back into the house leaving Paul wondering what was going on in Susan's mind.

Paul still unsure then spoke to himself, as Susan retreated to the inside of the house, "Happy to be of service…what about our family and home?"

At the 13 hundred hour at Molly's shop…

Molly had decided to drop by and see Lexie and the twins for lunch at the house as she was preparing to leave the shop, as she ran right into…Edith Rankin, as it was still early Friday afternoon.

"Molly."

"Edith."

"I've got to have a word with you," Edith replied stopping Molly on the street. Molly stood there and asked, "What is it?"

"It's been over 24 hours and I have had no word from Archie or Lexie about piece of property…basically since the forest commissioner hasn't. He had the land auctioned off yesterday afternoon. I'm wondering…"

"What piece of land?" Molly found herself posing the question…

"Lot 110536,"

"That's not for sale, Edith…"

"How was I supposed to know?" Edith's brows rose and replied, "I sent Archie a letter denying the request to have the land grant renewed because he's not the rightful owner---as I was instructed by the forest commissioner."

"I'd have to get back to you and look over the trust paperwork… I mean…"

"Molly, there's a closing on the lot at 6pm."

"You can't close on land you can't rightfully sell…"

"I know, I know, I found some paper work but I think it's too late and the deal will go through…"

"Edith, you have your wires crossed, I'll show up at 6pm with my paperwork on the matter."

"Thanks Molly."

"Next time come to me about it. Archie has no idea how the trust had been set up." Molly announced as Edith gave a nod of her head, "I'm sorry Molly for not saying something sooner…the land grant won't be renewed…"

"Well, renew it."

"It's been three years, Hector was the one who requested the renewal every year…Archie tried too, but he doesn't own the lot…so he can't get the grant…" Edith set her personal feelings on the last time Archie requested a grant for a 'Scottish Disneyland' or 'Adventure Centre' which Archie received the grant anyway…

"Renewed, but the first benefactor can." Molly added, as Edith nodded her head, "Leave this mess to me…I'll see you at 6pm sharp."

_  
_

At 16 hundred hour on the Glenbogle Estate…

Susan was in the study, making a few phone calls and talking to old colleagues about favors they owed her. Archie and Paul stood outside of the doorway as both glanced at each other, wondering what Susan was up to…

"What's she doing in there?" Paul asked as Archie shrugged, "I told her she could use the phone as long as she needed too and as many times as her business required…"

"Her business?"

"I'm not certain, but I think she's conducting some sort of a 'newsworthy' moment for Glenbogle…"

"Newsworthy?" Paul answered still confused, while peering into the room.

"Angus, you owe me big for saving your rump last year…" Susan turned her back towards the door, "I need a few news crews…nothing fancy mind you, but this a very big! I mean enormous, Gus!"

"Well, I dun no, Susan…"

"I'll set you up with my sister…"

"Claire?"

"Yes, Claire, the one you liked at the Christmas party two years ago." Susan gave him a huge hint.

"Fine crews, I can get one up there…Susan, it could take awhile…"

"I want more than one."

"I dun no if I can…"

"Angus, you owe me. Call the Scottish affiliates and get someone here pronto…there's gotta be someone on telly news that's interested in saving a village from a land destroyer tyrant!"

"I know. I know. Ring up Henry. He'd know of more…he'd help you…"

"I need you, Gus. Please…its important…just think of the wonderful publicity…"

"Fine, I'll see what I can do. I'll phone Niall right away, where do the crews have to show up?"

"You're marvelous. 18 hundred hour at Glenbogle Village Hall, you can't be late---think press conference. I'll phone Janey now…"

"Janey?"

"Yes, I need reporters here as well…"

"Janey…"

"Angus, just hang up from me and get going! You got two hours…"

"Only two hours??"

"YES!" Susan exclaimed into the phone as she ended the call and then dialed up her (free lance) colleague from Highland Magazine…who had a huge network of other magazines in the area which supported Highland life…

Archie and Paul interrupted Susan as she hung up the phone and both brothers gave her a huge look of confusion, "What are you doing?"

"I'm sorry. I'm taking awhile…"

"Susan, not a problem, happy to help, just not sure what you need news crews and reporters for…" Archie stood there unsure of Susan's plan.

"Don't worry about it, it's covered, just leave it to me. I need to ring Janey, and I also need to phone Henry."

"Henry?" Paul asked worried, sensing trouble with Susan if she got Henry involved.

"Look, I need his help on this and it's nothing to be worried over…" Paul began to fuss and Susan cut him off again…"Just trust me on this one, Paul, if I screw over Henry, he won't help. If I follow him, get what I need, and then screw him over…well, that's a different story."

Paul wasn't sure of how Susan had 'intended' to follow Henry as Paul then inquired, "What's with the engagement ring?"

Susan had pulled out the box and opened it while pulling out the diamond ring and handling it between her fingers, she smiled, "This is my leverage, Paul. It doesn't mean anything to me, as you just have to trust me on this one."

Everything by Lifehouse


	4. Parts 10 thru the end

**Chapter Ten---Extra! Extra! Read all about it! ****J**** Molly saves the day!**

At the time of the 16 hundred hour…

Lizzie and Lexie over heard Susan talking to Paul and Archie about her plans for getting rid of her father. Paul wasn't happy about Susan's grand sceme and stormed out with Archie following right behind him (mostly out of concern for Paul and trying to get him to go along with Susan's dreamed up plan)…just as Archie and Paul tromped out of the study as Lexie and Lizzie crept in through the sitting room.

"Susan, ye've cracked yer keysta?" Lexie asked, rolling her eyes…

"The only way to getting rid of my father and Henry is through use of bad publicity…If they are seen as awful through village people's eyes, then they will leave and never come back again…"

"Why do you have to engage yerself to Henry to do it?" Lizzie inquired…

"I'm not engaging myself to him. I'm simply bending the truth to put my plan in action…" Susan replied, "The line is ringing…"

As Susan held the phone to her ear…

"Hello, Henry Seaver…"

Susan was about to speak up, when Lizzie whispered and laughed, "Be seductive!"

Susan gave Lizzie a dodgy look…

"Go on, do it," Lexie challenged.

"Hi Henry…I need you to do me a favor…" Susan began as Lizzie and Lexie imitated Susan over the phone. They then made smoochy faces and laughed at each other's "Oh Susan…oh Henry---pucker up babe!"---like they were staring in a Black and White love story on telly as Susan immediately shot them both looks of 'Be quiet!' Lizzie and Lexie kept laughing…

"Susan, I see you've come to your senses, perhaps?"

"Something like that, Henry, I need a few news crews…"

"News crews? What for?"

Lexie and Lizzie gave Susan funny cross-eyed looks trying to make her smile, but Susan remained serious on the phone, "Well to…"

"You want me to propose to you on air, I knew it…" Henry jumped to his own conclusion…

"Yea, something like that…" Susan continued to watch Lexie and Lizzie acting silly.

"Something?"

"I want you to come up at 6pm…"

"Susan, that's a long drive…"

"Fly in on a helicopter, get here, Henry…"

"You're sure?"

'Dreadfully,' Susan's mind added, as she replied, "Of course I am."

"I'll see what I can do…"

"Promise?"

Henry found himself beaming on the other end of the phone… "I promise…"

Susan hung up the phone as Lizzie and Lexie stood there waiting for the verdict…

"So?"

"Yes, he's coming…"

"What does Pauly think about all of this?" Lexie laughed, as she used Paul's childhood nickname…

"He's not pleased," Susan replied, 'He wasn't when he stormed out of here…' Susan's mind formed the thought as she decided to speak up, "I need to find something to wear."

"Ooohhh! Dress up time!" Lizzie shouted aloud as her and Lexie took Susan's arms and carted out of the room. Susan glanced at both women in horror at what they meant as 'Dress up time.'

Susan stood in front of the mirror in her room as Lizzie and Lexie kept holding dresses up to her body and Susan shook her head 'no.'

"C'mon on! The black strap number works!" Lizzie shouted as Lexie agreed with her.

"I'm not wearing a black dress with black heels! I look like I'm going to a funeral for cryin' out loud!" Susan shouted back, "We need to make it believable, not fanatical fable-ish!"

"Ye're going to a funeral alright…the death of ye're relation with Henry…" Lexie joked as Susan grumbled and muttered before the door to the room opened and Paul walked in. He didn't say much, just walked over to the dresser and started pulling out clothes.

"Pauly! Just the man who should be encouraging---?" Lizzie began to speak up only for Susan to cut her off…

"Ye better have a minute," Lexie nodded as she took Lizzie by the arm and they both scurried out of the room. Susan stood there with her head though a coat hanger with a black dress on it as if she were wearing a tie. She pulled the hanger up and over her head and placed it on the bed.

"Paul, don't get this way."

"What way?" Paul muttered as Susan knew he was still upset at the whole scheme that Susan cooked up.

"Paul, I'm not marrying him. I'm stretching the truth. I told you this down in the study."

"I don't like this."

"I know you don't."

"Then don't do it!" Paul stared at her before strongly adding, "You're not wearing that ring…"

"I'm not wearing the ring…" Susan nodded her head.

"You're not going looking like that!" Paul announced as Susan laughed, while she stood there in a body slip.

"Of course not,"

"That's not what I mean! Wearing some shiny number for a…"

"Pauly, stop it."

"I can't stop it! I'm angry Susan. I don't want Henry anywhere near you! The idea with his arms everywhere on you…his lips…his…"

"Ye're getting a wee bit over the top, don't ya think, just a wee bit?" Susan rolled her eyes at Paul and laughed again.

"You think this is a laughing matter!"

"I don't." Susan admitted, "Okay maybe I do…"

"Susan, you're being ridiculous! I need your support, so does Archie…I mean, you can't…"

"Paul calm down," Susan glanced at him, but Paul was pretty much allowing his overprotective streak to take over the conversation with her, "There's no need to rule with an iron fist. I told you, it's just a scheme and it's not true…"

"Then do it another way…"

"Paul, I told Henry to be here…knowing Henry, he assumes I want our proposal announced over the news."

"You're not going to go through with…"

"Will you hush up for a moment, you silly potato head? I used the situation to lure the crews here…Paul calm it."

Paul still didn't like the idea, but concluded, "I get to pick out what you're going to wear."

Susan laughed before presenting him with the pile of disarrayed dresses on the bed, "Be my guest."

Nigel strolled in after he heard his parents arguing, as Lexie and Lizzie had told him to wait in the hall for Susan and Paul to finish talking, "You all right, Mum?"

"Nye, things are just fine," Susan replied as she met Nigel at the door, "I'm getting dressed, you're going to stay here with Megan and the twins and help out some more…"

"I wanna go with you," Nigel begged.

"Not this time, okay?"

"Martha gets to go."

"Martha is younger than you and her mother makes her decisions."

Nigel pouted, "Fine."

"We'll be home after the meeting, Nye, there's no need to look glum," Paul spoke up as he continued to go through the dresses on the bed for something that would cover every inch of Susan's body and then pulled out a brown, long sleeved dress with a skirt that went down to Susan's toes. Paul looked satisfied with his choice and replied, "What do you think, Mum? You should look dauntingly---!"

Susan shook her head as Paul took her dressing up too seriously, "Hideous."

"The point well taken. Get dressed, lovey," as Paul tossed the dress at Susan and she caught it, grumbling again, before rolling her eyes and sticking her tongue out at Paul.

18 hundred o'clock on the dot that same night…

The Village Hall was packed with upset villagers who supported both parties, those who want to keep the land preserve it or those who want to build on it…Susan's father sat down at a table in front of the town counsel as Archie and Paul were sitting at another table. Susan sat with Henry, while Paul kept glancing at her…

"I'm glad you came to your senses," Henry remarked as Susan sat there getting edgy and uncomfortable with Henry's arm around her.

"I see and what makes you think that?" Susan replied with Lexie at her side, listening in on the exchange. Lizzie was sitting next to Lexie with Martha as the twins were being watched by Megan for the next hour with Nigel's help.

"I assumed I had lost you to the heath and then your call hours ago, assured me I was wrong," Henry commented as Lexie and Lizzie tried to keep straight faces—but started to once again, act like they were stars in a black and white love story—mouthing 'Oh Susan—Oh Henry' like there was dramatic music going on in the background of the scene. They were about to burst out in laughter while Susan glanced over at them and then Henry.

"Sorry, just 'avin' a wee freshie mo'…nothin' major," Lexie blushed and Lizzie tried not to laugh, while they waited for the counsel to be seated. Nothing in Glenbogle was ever 'on time' and the antsiness of the verdict of who owns the oldest forest continued to fuel Archie's anxiety.

"I can't stand it-him with her, even if it's untrue." Paul replied low so Archie could only hear it.

"I know. Once this over with, I'm sure things will all be back to normal," Archie commenting about the land grant and lot dispute and Paul commenting about Henry and how his arm was wrapped around Susan's shoulders…both brothers exchanged worrisome glances…

Finally four out of five counsel members arrived, taking their seats at the long table before Archie, Paul and also Susan's father, Mr. Anthony Higgins, III. Edith Rankin was the first to speak via microphone podium as she started to talk, Ferguson McBain, The Appleby twins and other angry villagers started to shout, "No more nonsense, fix this mess!"

"Ye want to know we've a home to go too!"

"Yeah, so stop this madness!"

"QUIET!" Edith Rankin shouted out with a grumble as she silenced the rowdy bunch from the back of the hall. "We're 'ere to discuss the matter of uncertainty for the Glenbogle forest…no whose home is whose and if they'll lose it."

"May I speak?" Archie stood up from the table as Edith's stare went to his face as he took it as a 'yes, you may…if you dare.'

"Look, this a crockery! Pure rubbish! It's mad…I have documentation that the land belongs to GRACE, which I am the trustee of…so why raffle off my land like at a cake bake off? You shouldn't have auctioned it off without coming to me first!"

Edith continued to stare at Archie, "Are you finished, Laird? Think maybe it's time to allow the counsel to make this decision? Not my fault you don't know how to read the fine print on a letter…you rec'd a letter…"

"I know about that letter!" Archie yelled getting exasperated as Paul tried to quiet him down…

"Relax, hollering won't help…" Paul spoke up evenly.

"This land belongs to my client," replied a man in a stiff suit and tie as he stood up from the table, as if he were in court, only Glenbogle Village Hall, was far from a US courthouse…Susan knew it was Mr. James, her father's lawyer as she sat there, getting nervous…

"We have the paperwork here. This is his land closing event, not a hopscotch tournament!"

There was still an empty seat at the counsel table as Edith sat there looking at the other members whispering, "Where's Molly MacDonald? She' supposed to be handling this after talking to Edith this afternoon…"

"I'm here!" Molly called out with a large brown envelope in her hands as she made way through the disgruntled and disenchanted crowd, past Lizzie, Lexie, Susan and Henry, before taking a peek at Archie and Paul…Archie looked frazzled at his mother before speaking up, "Mother? What are you doing?"

"Don't worry, Archie," Molly winked as she made way to the podium at the front of the room with her envelope in tow.

"Good, I was beginning to wonder about you," Edith added, as Edith and Molly had struck some kind of a friendship after Hector's death, which Archie was clueless about…Mr. James spoke up again, "I'm Mr. Higgins legal counsel, my client wasn't told that this closing was a free for all!"

"It's not, ah Mr.---?"

"James."

"Mr. James, yes, well, I assure you there's been a very big mistake, on the part of counsel, which Edith Rankin called my attention too. You see, the village land, that old forest, belongs to me," Molly spoke up quickly as Archie and Paul blinked and silence fell upon the room.

"Huh?" Archie muttered, baffled again. Paul sat there not sure of what to make of Molly's reasoning, while she kept peering over at Archie and Paul.

Mr. Higgins was getting irritated as he spoke up, "I wasn't informed of this matter."

"It's just that a very big misunderstanding," Molly spoke up with a smile,

"You see, Mr.---?"

"Mr. Higgins."

"Oh yes, well, my dear ol' husband left me the trust in my name, which includes the land trust for that forest. You see, my son wasn't given the correct paperwork, and the renewal only comes every three years or so…my husband's been dead for three years just about so to make a very long doodle short, it's not for sale."

As the villagers in the room started to cheer and Edith Rankin shouted out again, "Order! Order!"

"Look, by legal right, I signed paper work with---?"

"We know, but it's a mess up on our part." Edith took the podium helm again.

"My husband left me as first benefactor, and if I had known sooner about the non-renewal of the trust, I would have fixed this mess…something I should have done three years ago after my husband died…" Molly explained quickly while Archie continued to stare at her, waiting for answers, quietly contemplating his guilt for not talking to his mother sooner about the land or GRACE. "Hector was very big on his linage, and providing for his family in any way, shapes, or form, by any means. He wanted to be sure the 'GRACE' was passed down to his next of kin…its not me it should have gone too, but his children and grandchildren. I'm sorry, but the decision of building a housing complex in the middle of an old forest, is out of my hands once the paperwork is signed. I personally, do not want to see this treachery happen, nor do Hector's children."

"What are you saying, Mother?" Archie voiced, trying to make sense of Molly's speech.

"Simple, you're right. The trust should be passed down to Lizzie, you, Archie and Paul. I've got the processed paperwork here. And you're the first benefactors as the children, your children will be the second benefactors. Therefore it is your land." Molly smiled, "I just need your signatures."

"I'm sorry, mother for not talking to you sooner…" Archie began to apologize to Molly.

"Ah, yes, sorry." Paul spoke up as Molly gave both men a loving look, "It's all right darlings, no worry, over and done with, water under the bridge!"

"This is ridiculous," Mr. Higgins started to complain as he threw a glance at Henry and Susan, "I put money down on it fair and square."

"You'll be getting back every shilling," Edith commented as Molly walked over to Archie and Paul, while waving Lizzie up to the table for the signing of the papers, "As on that ditty, this matter has been dismissed and there will be no closing today or ever for the Glenbogle forest."

Lizzie, Archie and Paul signed the trust paperwork as villagers started to file out of the hall…Paul smiled at Molly, "It's very nice of you to include me."

"You're Hector's linage too. The forest belongs to you as well and I want you and Archie to succeed on running the village…like you should under duel lairdship," Molly grinned back at Paul. Mr. Higgins strolled up to Susan and Henry angry, "You said, it would be simple…the deal would be simple…"

"It wasn't simple, now was it?"

"What are you both talking about?" Susan gave a look at Henry and then her father.

"Business."

"Man's business."

"Well, I'd like to know for starters, Man's business or not," Susan stopped herself as her father replied, "No hand in marriage, since the deal fell through…"

Susan didn't like what she was hearing, "You made a deal with my father…"

"We were partners about building that housing complex," Henry spoke up, noting Susan's anger.

"Well, that just explains everything!" Susan snapped, "You were both using me! I'm---forget it, Henry. I had no plans on marrying you to begin with!"

"What does that mean? That's why you weren't keen on wearing the ring today?"

"I means, and I'll spell it out for you: _I. Never. Wanted. To. Marry. You_. I played your own game and tricked you my own way. How's that for fine apples! I don't get mad, Henry, I get even! Here's your ring, go fetch it! Since you love to play beck and call for my father! I had been meaning to send that ring back to you days ago!" Susan launched the diamond ring across the room as it landed under the counsel table, with a clink on the floor. Henry wasn't sure of what to believe as he started to speak, Susan cut him off boldly, "Henry, I quit the paper-final and last time! This is it, I resign! No more calls about articles! We're through!"

Lexie and Lizzie stood there with Martha at the side entrance listening to Susan 'play' her role on getting even with Henry and her father.

Susan started in again, only this time at her father as she knew he leave once bad publicity was coming his way… "I never ever want to see you here ever again. You're not wanted here. You never were. If you thought that pulling this stunt would just bring me back to you, it NEVER worked and never would! There are enough reporters outside to drag your donkey through the mud and back so you'll never ever be looked at as someone good here ever again!"

Susan had followed her plan to a tee—_the news crews were there to chat about the land dispute and how Archie and Paul won as Henry and her father believed the cameras were there for the land and also for Henry and Susan's marriage proposal_…as Archie and Paul had made way to the entrance of the Glenbogle Village Hall, news crews were lined up for interviews and also reporters from everywhere. Susan traveled out from the side entrance of the hall meeting up with Lexie, Lizzie and Martha. The front walk way of the hall had sounds the clicking of cameras, scenes of the microphones up in the air and also the brothers talking on about how they won the best land dispute in the history of Glenbogle, by just being Hector MacDonald's sons. In the interim of it all, Paul caught a glimpse of Susan walking away towards the truck with Lexie, Lizzie and Martha.

"It's very important to the village that people learn to preserve our environment. There was never a doubt in our minds that we'd lose the grant renewal for sure since we both run the land trust. However---?" Archie was a mid of his statement to a paper and magazine…a news telly crew…

"We need to give thanks to the woman in charge of this press conference…"

"Susan Thatcher Higgins---she did it!" Janey yelled out, knowing who she was and trying to spread the good word.

"Yes her," Paul nodded…as Archie and Paul continued to dazzle the news teams for a good solid hour.

Paul and Archie finally arrived back at the house about an hour later. They traveled into the front foyer, both seeking out someone, anyone, Lexie, Lizzie, maybe Susan nearby by before finally making way towards the kitchen and the laughter…

"That's Mum!" Nigel shouted as he pointed out his mother wearing a huge hat with a big daisy on it and in a summer dress…there was a boy standing next to her…Lizzie started laughing at who the boy was and what he was wearing…

Lizzie and Nigel (and Lexie too) were going through the photo box. Paul noted the box and the photo, which was a very vivid memory and then replied, "Snapshots, huh? Ones that remain to be hidden!"

The familar-looking boy in the photo was dressed up like an 'old lady' in a oversized pink coat and a floral skirt…Lizzie replied, "That's you wearing earrings and make-up to match!"

Paul snatched the photo up off of the table while he became embarrassed and Lizzie added, "Oh Paul, nothing wrong with photo's of one's past, aye? I tell ya I'm admirin' the skirt look ye've got goin on 'ere!" Lizzie busted out in laughter…

Paul returned the photo back into the box as Lizzie snatched it out again, holding up the photo for Lexie to see as she laughed too at the nine year old Paul standing grumpily beside a very happy five year old Susan.

"Well, you won't be seeing my legs again so take a nice long gander at that photograph!" Paul joked back as he laughed too.

Lexie added with a laugh, "not until Hogmanay!"

Paul blew out a breath, "Where's Susan? Speaking of my childhood partner in crime…"

"Ye know she let into Henry and her father good at the hall…" Lexie began as she stood up for the invisible Susan…

"Yea?"

"Yes, we witnessed the whole thing, deserves an award for that performance," Lizzie backed up Lexie, as she and Nigel continued to look at the photos.

"Yea? Well, where is she?" Paul posed his question again…

"Ye're not still cross wit Mum?" Nigel asked his father as Paul replied, "No, don't worry…"

"She's down at the loch," Nigel replied as Paul was then out the door within seconds…

**Chapter Eleven—Simple truths and other fine surprises ****J**

How many of you people out there  
Been hurt in some kind of love affair  
And how many times do you swear that you'll never love again?

How many lonely, sleepless nights  
How many lies, how many fights  
And why would you want to put yourself through all that again?

"Love is pain,' I hear you say  
Love has a cruel and bitter way  
Of paying you back for all the faith you ever had in your brain

Susan found her own inner peace at the loch as she sat herself down on the rocks. She felt relieved, like a brick had been lifted to just tell Henry off once and for good. Nigel was inside the big stone house, running around with the twins and Minnie, as Lexie and Lizzie were busy chatting with each other while cooking in the kitchen together. Susan had felt the need to slip away from them. It was nearing Christmas Eve, pretty soon the festivities would begin…Susan kept thinking about what was next on her list…finding a new job or actually trying to enjoy being unemployed? She was too much of a busy body to sit still…her mind shifted to Paul and Archie and the whole madhouse press conference, as informal as it was, that she had managed to put together—not only for their benefit but to run her father out of the village.

"That was quite a show you missed down at the hall, Suz."

"It wasn't a show for me. I did it 'cause I felt I owed Archie and you that much, since the article and all," Susan spoke modestly.

"You don't owe anything, Suzy."

How could it be that what you need the most  
Can leave you feeling just like a ghost?  
You never want to feel so sad and lost again

One day you could be looking  
Through an old book in rainy weather  
You see a picture of her smiling at you  
When you were still together  
You could be walking down the street  
And who should you chance to meet  
But that same old smile that you've been thinking of all day

You can turn the clock to zero, honey  
I'll sell the stock, we'll spend all the money  
We're starting up a brand new day

Susan smiled as she knew Paul was coming up behind her, but didn't turn her head to glance at him. He parked himself down on a rock next to her as they could both feel the cool air on their faces as Susan had a hat on her head and her hands in mittens with a down coat on, she laughed, "You still wear that tatty old thing?"

Paul tipped his gray cap, "Of course I do."

"It needs to be put into retirement," Susan joked soundly as Paul laughed,

"But I like this cap."

"You hide well behind it."

"I don't hide."

"Yes you do," Susan laughed again.

Turn the clock all the way back  
I wonder if she'll take me back  
I'm thinking in a brand new way

Turn the clock to zero, sister  
You'll never know how much I missed her  
Starting up a brand new day

Turn the clock to zero, boss  
The river's wide, we'll swim across  
Started up a brand new day

It could happen to you - just like it happened to me  
There's simply no immunity - there's no guarantee  
I say love's such a force - if you find yourself in it  
And sometimes no reflection is there

Baby wait a minute, wait a minute  
Wait a minute, wait a minute  
Wait a minute, wait a minute

"I heard from Lexie and Lizzie what happened in the hall after people filed out of the place. I heard you deserve an Oscar for letting into Henry the way you did."

"Yes, well, I had every intention, and I told you so, of telling Henry I wasn't getting hitched to him and that I was destined to stay unemployed from that paper for now on. I also sent the ring via 'air mail' as it landed under the counsel table…" Susan gave a laugh as she continued, "I did as I said I would, used him to help the main cause out and put my father in his place. I bet he's on his way back to Texas right now as we speak."

"Unemployed," Paul chuckled…

"It's been ages since I've had no one to answer too, of course, I don't know what I'm going to do for financial stability. Perhaps I'll continue being a 'rent a reporter'…I am..."

"Feeling free?"

"I'm feeling more than free. It's over with, I don't have to worry about working in an over populous, always on the go, world busiest, traffic jam packed city and instead I can breathe some what clean air," Susan bowed her head and returned her gaze out to the loch.

"Good," Paul gave a nod of his own head, before smiling at Susan, "Don't worry about a thing Susan, we'll sort it out."

"You honestly believe we can sort this out?"

"Honest."

Turn the clock to zero, honey  
I'll sell the stock, we'll spend all the money  
We're starting up a brand new day

Turn the clock to zero, Mac  
I'm begging her to take me back  
I'm thinking in a brand new way

Turn the clock to zero, boss  
The river's wide, we'll swim across  
Started up a brand new day

Turn the clock to zero buddy  
Don't wanna be no fuddy duddy  
Started up a brand new day

"I love you," as the whispered words fell out from Susan's lips and moved like music notes into Paul's ears.

"What's that?" Paul wanted to be sure he heard her right…_and he did…_

"Paul, I love you," Susan turned her head to look at him and gave him another beam.

"Thank you," Paul joked to Susan as she rolled her eyes—remembering how she reacted towards him two days ago when he told her he loved her again.

I'm the rhythm in your tune  
I'm the sun and you're the moon  
I'm a bat and you're the cave  
You're the beach and I'm the wave  
I'm the plow and you're the land  
You're the glove and I'm the hand  
I'm the train and you're the station  
I'm a flagpole to your nation - yeah

Stand up all you lovers in the world  
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl  
Stand up all you lovers in the world  
Starting up a brand new day

I'm the present to your future  
You're the wound and I'm the suture  
You're the magnet to my pole  
I'm the devil in your soul  
You're the pupil I'm the teacher  
You're the church and I'm the preacher  
You're the flower I'm the rain  
You're the tunnel I'm the train

"That's the issue, isn't it! Ye're getting' back at me for not saying it sooner…" Susan gave his shoulder a playful hit, like they were kids again. Paul laughed, falling backwards off the rock, clutching his chest as if his heart had been wounded, and dramatically fell onto the ground (on purpose).

"You're still a light weight!" Susan punned as she tried to help him up by offering him a hand. Paul accepted it and stood up, brushing off the dirt from his legs, "I am not."

"You are too."

"I am not."

"Yes, you are," Susan snatched Paul's gray cap up off of the ground and handed it back to him. Only for his hands to latch onto her and capture her into a warm embrace. "Your scuffed chin…" Susan drew her finger to his chin and traced the scar…

Stand up all you lovers in the world  
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl  
Stand up all you lovers in the world  
Starting up a brand new day

You're the crop to my rotation  
You're the sum of my equation  
I'm the answer to your question  
If you follow my suggestion  
We can turn this ship around  
We'll go up instead of down  
You're the pan and I'm the handle  
You're the flame and I'm the candle

Stand up all you lovers in the world  
Stand up and be counted every boy and every girl  
Stand up all you lovers in the world  
We're starting up a brand new day

"Yea famous scar. Still there I'm afraid," Paul gave a laugh, "The one your mother and my mother fought about, whether, I needed stitches or not. I bet they are still havin' a row 'bout it up in the heavens right now…"

"I wasn't even born yet, when you fell off those concrete steps outside of the building mum lived in! It looks as if my mother was right about you havin' them- Even though your mother said no!"

"My mother and I were visiting your mum since she was on bed rest with her pregnancy with you--- that day…that was so long ago, being four years old."

"I remember when you moved in next door to Mum, Claire an' me years later."

"Oh good lord, that was a long time ago, mum and me were moving back from London to Yorkshire."

"Yea…Paul, there's something to tell you…" Susan's face dropped, while Paul's hardened with a "What?"

"I didn't exactly tell you how Claire really is."

"What do you mean?"

"Well," as Susan parked herself down in the rock again, "She finished up her studies for the year at University in Glasgow, but in August, she got ill."

"Ill?" Paul cast a sympathetic glance at Susan before sitting down beside her on the rock. Susan's face remained focused on what she had to say.

"You've known about my mum for years…Paul, years ago, mum's heart condition, her problem, passed onto Claire."

"Claire's got a bad heart?"

"Had one. Had a bad heart until a transplant surgery saved her months ago," Susan explained more, Paul listened closely, "I hardly answered you about how Claire really was, because I believed you didn't need to concern yerself with it. Sorry…"

Paul pulled her closer to him, "How is she now then?"

"Claire's done a complete turn about. I mean she spent the mid summer of being sick at a hospital in Inverness to the autumn finally getting a donor, and with Aunt Marjorie at her side when I couldn't be. Ever since Mum's been dead, Aunt Marjorie has been a godsend…after the surgery and even now, she's opened her farm up to Claire for her recovery when I was---?"

"Working in London?"

"Yea, I came up here also for Claire too…not just for Nigel," Susan found herself talking on about her mother, "Mum had two children, never once married, lived a normal life as possible, even when pregnant twice and put on bed rest for her heart—until her own transplant surgery upon decades ago…she lived on borrowed time until a year ago. I miss my mother but I couldn't imagine losing Claire on top of it. More frustrating is waking up to a phone call, thinking Claire was dead---I was so frightened…" Susan had tears streaming down her cheeks as Paul held her close, "It's all right."

Susan pulled away, wiped her cheeks and tried to pull herself together, as

Paul consoled, "My mum died so long ago that I didn't allow myself to move on until now. The grieving gets better Suz, it does."

Archie had managed to walk down to the loch in search of Paul and Susan, as he approached them, he hollered out, "Hello! Hey! Phone rang---someone for Susan and it's someone who wants to talk to her…and won't accept anyone taking messages…"

Susan and Paul stood up, while Archie stated, "Freezing out anyway, come in, Lex and Liz have dinner underway…" the trio then traveled towards the house.

Susan entered the study with a following as Lexie handed her the phone with a huge grin plastered on her face as Susan asked, "Who is it?"

"Ye'll fend out…Go on! The suspense is a killa!" Lexie joked with encouragement, an impatient tap of her foot and then handed over the receiver to Susan, who was now peering over to Paul with a baffled look on her face, and then to Lexie in another crazed stare. Susan turned away from the group as she answered, "Yes, this is she…"

Archie smiled, and Paul inquired, "Who's she talking to?"

"The Scotsman's editor in chief," Lizzie chagrinned as she stood beside Nigel and Martha while everyone listened in…

"First off how did you find---yes, I could start tomorrow I s'pose, if need be…Tuesday? Meeting Tuesday?" Susan's eyes lit right up, as Molly entered the room…

"Who's she talking to?" Molly inquired as Paul turned to her, "The Scotsman?"

Molly gave a look and then replied, "Oh…" before her eyes grew wide, "Oh!"

Susan continued to listen to the instructions and added, "Thank-you. Tuesday yes." She placed the receiver back into the cradle as her face dropped while she turned her body to her 'audience.' Her eyes cast upon the spying bunch…

"Well? What is it then?" Lexie replied with excitement as she stood there with her arms folded, "An' I don't mean who won the race between the tortoise and the hare so out with it!"

"Who won that race?" Archie turned to Paul in a joking fashion.

"The tortoise I believe." Paul jokes right back as Lexie glared at both men for mocking her…

"What is it, Mum?" Nigel started to beg too…Susan's face remained blank, "I don't believe this insanity," as she shook her head.

"What?" Lizzie asked getting antsy.

Susan's face, which was once blank, filled with emotion as her lips curved upwards into a fashionable smile, "I've a job an' I start Tuesday! I'm writing for The Scotsman!" The group started to cheer as Susan wrapped her arms around Paul and then Nigel and kissing them both.

The End

Brand New Day by STING J


End file.
